What Dreams Are Made Of (PG)
by JGs51girl
Summary: A girl from John's past becomes a phantom of his dreams. Will fate bring them back together?
1. Chapter 1

**Santa Monica Pier – New Year's Eve 1974**

Johnny looked at the lovely young blonde sitting next to him, watching the fireworks. On the other side of the blanket, Roy had his arm around his wife and she was leaning against him. Chris was sitting in Roy's lap intently staring at the firework show being displayed high above them. As if she could sense Johnny was looking at her, Brenna turned to smile at him but instead found herself staring deep into his eyes. Johnny couldn't resist and leaned over to give her a kiss on the lips. Her eyes widened and then she smiled at him. Seeing the promise in her eyes, he whispered in her ear, "Just a kiss now, Brenna, nothing more." With that, Johnny put his arm around her shoulders and felt her relax and lean against him.

As they watched the fireworks, Johnny couldn't believe his luck when he met her three days earlier. She had tried to get rid of a couple of admirers who didn't understand the word no. So he had stepped in to help her. He had walked up to her, apologized for being late and then kissed her soundly. The two young men disappeared. When he had broken off the kiss, his own reaction to it surprised him and from the look on her face she was pretty surprised by her own reaction as well. He helped her up out of her chair and they walked away. They had spent the next three days with each other, oblivious to the world around them.

Thirty minutes later, the fireworks were over and the New Year had begun. Johnny held Chris in his arms while Joanne and Brenna folded up the blanket and Roy took the garbage to the bin. Walking towards the parking lot, Johnny had his arm around Brenna, wondering if he would ever see her again. She had said she was just visiting the area and would be leaving soon. As he was gathering the courage to ask for her address and phone number, a fight broke out near where they were standing and the sparring pair were spilling their direction. Johnny turned to push Brenna behind him when he noticed she was gone. He stood there, confusion written all of his face and inexplicably feeling like the world had just dropped out from underneath him.

**Carson, California – February 1976**

_He could sense her presence in the room, smell her perfume but as he looked around the darkened room, she was nowhere near. Panic set in as he couldn't push away the darkness. He wanted to find her but didn't know how. He could feel himself hyperventilating with fear not knowing who she was or where she was._

_"I don't know where you are. Please help me. Tell me how I can find you or where you are." _

_"I can't tell you how to find me. Know this, I will be waiting for you and if you have problems finding me, just remember, I will always be right here in your heart"_

_"But how do I know where to find you or if I have found you at all? I can hear your voice but I can't see you. Reveal yourself to me," he said to her._

_"You will know when you have found me. Your heart will sing. I have always been with you, you just haven't really opened your heart up to me."_

_"Wait, please don't go. I don't even know your name or what you look like."_

_The room suddenly became so bright. He knew she was looking towards him but because the brightness was around her, all he could see of her was her long hair flying about her. He wanted to touch her but she was out of his reach. He stretched his hand towards her but only grabbed air. He pleaded with her to reveal her name to him. _

_"My love, I have had many names. Most people call me…"_

Johnny literally jumped up in bed as the tones rang throughout the station signifying the start of another day. Morning had come and it was time to get up. He could hear the others moving around preparing for the next shift to come on duty. He sat up and swung his legs over the edge of the bed, rubbing his eyes trying to make sense of the dream he had had. The last time he had that dream was a little over a year ago when he met this really pretty girl three days before and she had disappeared New Year's Eve right after midnight. Now the dream was back with a vengeance and it was beginning to wear on him. It had gotten to the point where he was dreading even going to sleep, not knowing if the dream would start-up where it left off or start all over again.

Roy watched Johnny as he sat on the side of his bed. He knew his partner had had problems with some weird dream and he knew it was at the point where his partner couldn't take it anymore. At least, it was not like the nightmare that plagued Johnny over a year or so ago that had just about kept all the guys up at night and put them all on edge.

"Same dream again, Junior?" he asked.

"Yeah. I haven't had that dream in a long time, now for the past two weeks it's resurfaced. I just can't figure it out. What does it signify? I'm beginning to think I am losing it."

"I don't know if you're losing it or what the dream is trying to tell you. You never really have told me what the dream is about."

"Roy, I'm nowhere I could describe other than it's dark. There is a young woman in the room with me but I can't see her. I think she's someone I have met before but I can't tell because I can't see her face. I can sense her in the room and I know I have smelled her perfume before. I can hear her voice and I can talk to her. She says she is waiting for me, that she has always been with me but that I haven't been able to see her because my eyes and my heart are inaccessible. The worst part is each time I ask her name and she is just about to tell me, either the tones go off or it's my alarm clock."

"Sounds like you need to lay off the dating runaround for a while, my friend. You have hit the circuit a little too hard lately," replied Roy with a hint of laughter in a voice.

"I can't disagree with that. The last couple of girls I took out were pretty and very nice but there was something missing and I just can't put my finger on it. Maybe you're right, I just need to step back for a while and see what happens," agreed Johnny as he stood up and ran his fingers through his unruly hair.

Chet popped his head around the edge of the door from the locker room and asked Johnny, "What exactly are you waiting to see happen? Your dating life to get better?"

"Get bent, Chet. Didn't your mother ever tell you that eavesdropping is rude?"

"Numerous times, Gage. Just never sunk in. So what's supposed to happen? Like I've said before, your dating life is not going to get better. You know what that new nurse you are so hung up on and want to take out said about you, she said you are a pest."

"She said WHAT?" Johnny looked over at Chet with a wounded look upon his face.

"She said you're a pest." Chet was all but laughing as he said that. And the verbal battle was on.

About that time, Roy decided to sneak out of the dorm room. He headed towards the dayroom to join Marco and Mike for a cup of coffee and wait for 'B' shift to arrive. Greeting his coworkers, Roy grabbed a cup of coffee and sat down at the table with them. They could hear Johnny and Chet walking across the engine bay still arguing about how gullible Johnny was and how Chet just can't keep his nose, or ears out of anyone's business.

Captain Stanley walked into the dayroom shaking his head at Chet and Johnny, the twits as he liked to call them. He had to admit it was never a dull moment around Station 51 with those two, but some days he would like peace and quiet without arguments, practical jokes, etc. As Chet and Johnny noticed the captain had entered the dayroom, they quieted down as both were thinking of duties that could be assigned to them on a more permanent basis if they didn't stop their bickering.

The guys of Station 51 are like any other station within the LA County Fire Department system with one exception; they are more like family to one another. There isn't anything they wouldn't do for each other and during times of trouble, they banded together more tightly than even the closest of families. So to them the bickering of Chet and Johnny was more like listening to your two younger brothers than coworkers who pretended that they couldn't stand each other.

B Shift finally arrived. Johnny and Roy stood by their vehicles and talked for a bit. Roy had asked Johnny if he had time that afternoon to help him put up the rest of the fence in his backyard. Since he didn't have anything planned, Johnny told him would be over to his house in a couple of hours after he went home and showered, did some laundry and checked his mail. The paramedics each got into their vehicles and drove away. While he was driving home, Johnny kept thinking about the woman in his dream and wondered why he could not see her face.

The petite blonde haired girl stood beside her car and looked at the house she had purchased sight unseen and smiled. The wide sweeping porch beckoned to her as she glanced at the front door. The warm red portal welcomed her as she stepped up on the porch. She glanced around envisioning how the groups of tables, chairs and lounger she was going place there would look like. Turning slowly, she looked out over the front yard. She smiled as she saw the flowers in the flower beds brightening up the yard. She was glad the previous owners didn't plant so many flowers to the point where you could not distinguish one species from another. The large oak tree was a little off-center from the middle of the yard, but it would supply plenty of shade on a warm California day or night. Opening the front door, she entered the home and noticed that the movers had made it here on time. The realtor whom she had purchased the house from had agreed to let the movers in so that they could unload her furniture and items since they were going to arrive at her home before she did. She quickly walked through the two-story foyer and into the Great Room at the back of the house. The floor-to-ceiling windows of the Great Room offered her a spectacular view of the pool in the backyard and of the park behind her home. At least, no one would be building anything behind her, she thought. Walking into the kitchen, she was pleasantly surprised at the spaciousness of it and couldn't wait to begin cooking again. She decided to save a tour of the upstairs to the house and headed directly into the master bedroom. She stared at all the boxes and thought to herself that as much as she would like to take a dip in the pool, the room needed to be put to rights first. She located the boxes that held her jeans and t-shirts and since there were no curtains on the bedroom windows yet, she headed into the closet and proceeded to change her clothes.

Two hours later, she had her king size bed frame put together, mattress and box spring on it and the bedding in place. She sat on the edge of bed and wiped her brow. She thought to herself that next time she would make sure she had help for this job. Glancing outside, she decided to keep working on her bedroom, getting her clothes hung up in the closet and then would tackle the master bathroom. When the realtor sent her information about the house she had purchased, she did not pay attention to how big the place was but had fallen in love with the front porch, big yard and a pool. Her parents would have laughed at her extravagance. She smiled as she fondly remembered them and wished they could have been with her at this moment. They would have loved being back in California, she thought. Shaking her head, she slowly closed up the memories of her parents and went back to work.

By the time darkness had approached, she pretty much had her bedroom in order. She felt like she had been put through the wringer. She sat down on her bed and was proud of what she had gotten done. The bed was completed and her clothes were all neatly put away. She fell in love with the closet and all the space. The center of the closet had an island that held so many drawers that she was not going to need the dresser that came with the bedroom set she purchased. Now I am going to have to figure out how get the damn thing upstairs, she thought to herself. The house had three bedrooms upstairs along with two storage areas and a big recreation room. There was also a loft area that she could turn into a reading area if she wished. She was going to need a lot of furniture to fill this place up, but she didn't mind. She had enough money to do that and then some. Since she really wasn't feeling all that tired, she decided to go downstairs and begin on the kitchen. That way she could also make a list of what grocery items she was going to need.

By midnight, she had just about unloaded all her boxes of kitchen items. Once she got started, she just couldn't stop. It didn't matter to her what the time was, she just couldn't quit. All she had planned on doing was checking on her boxes that held all her dry goods and spices. But one thing led to another, she just kept on going, unloading just about all the boxes that had been stacked in the kitchen and breakfast area. She sat on the edge of the counter and looked at what she had accomplished in the last four hours. The last four boxes held the stuff that would go into the china hutch in the formal dining room. She decided that they could wait until morning as she knew if she opened one more box, she would just keep on going. Turning around, she walked into her bedroom and got ready for bed. As tired as she was starting to feel, she knew that she was not going to have any problem falling asleep tonight which made her quite happy.

_She knew she was not alone and that he was somewhere in that darkened room. As her eyes adjusted to the darkness, she could sense the danger from the one who took everything from her, but she could not see him. But she could also sense another presence with her, someone she knew. This person she knew would keep her safe. As she turned to look into the eyes of the one who could save her, she felt the hands of the other reach out and grab her, turning her back towards him. _

She shot up in bed, her breath coming in jagged spurts. She hadn't had that dream in ages. As she tried to get her racing heart under control, she relived the dream in her mind. She could see the man coming at her, grabbing at her shirt ripping it as he dragged her away. The memory of the attack shook her to the core. She could still see his cold, dark eyes leering at her evilly. As she remembered those eyes, she also remembered another pair of eyes that were a warm, liquid brown with a hint of humor leaning down to kiss her on New Year's Eve. But she couldn't understand how he got into her dream. She could tell he was frustrated with anger and wanted to help her but knew he couldn't. Finally she shook the cobwebs of the memory away from her. She got out of bed, walked through the kitchen and out on the back porch. She looked at the pool, stripped her nightgown off and dove in, hoping that the swim would help her forget…

_She had her back to him and she seemed to struggling with an unseen force. He heard her screaming with frustration as she tried to get away from whatever was holding her against her will. He tried shouting to her but no sound came from his throat. He tried to run towards her but his legs would not move. He watched helplessly as she struggled in vain to free herself. 'This isn't right,' he thought, 'I should be able to help her. I'm a rescue man – why can't I help her?' He began to shake with frustration that he couldn't do what he has been trained to do. She turned towards him with a pleading look in her eye. He could see her eyes but still couldn't see her face. The pain in her eyes told it all to him. He couldn't help her and she knew it but didn't blame him. He cried from the pain in her eyes…._

Johnny sat up in bed and could feel the tears running down his face. He couldn't understand why he felt the way he did. He never knew he could feel so frustrated at his own inadequacy. What threw him was the last time he dreamed of this girl she was full of laughter and riddles for him to solve. This time she was a victim and had the most expressive eyes he had ever seen. Rubbing his eyes, Johnny got up and decided to head out to the ranch to do some more work on the house. He wanted to get things done and be settled in his house before the Memorial Day weekend.

He jumped into his Jeep and headed down the highway. Granted it was only four in the morning and still dark out but that didn't matter, he knew that he would get a lot done by starting out now. He had thought about asking Roy to come out to the ranch to help him but knew that Joanne usually had something for Roy to get done around the house on their days off. He smiled to himself as he thought of how much he had accomplished in the past seven months. It had always been a dream of his to buy his own ranch and have his horses around him once again. He knew he would always be a firefighter/paramedic but he also knew that he would now have his ranch and horses with him.

Turning down the short road that led to his ranch, Johnny smiled at the sight that greeted him. The house was a sprawling one story ranch house with a porch in the front and a nice large covered patio in the back. He parked the Jeep just behind the house out of sight of the roadway. Behind the house was a large red barn with a large corral next to it. He could see the San Gabriel Mountains in the background and that was one of the big selling points of the ranch when he bought it. He could sit on the back porch late in the afternoon and look up at the mountains. The restoration of the barn had been completed a little over a month ago and looked great. Some of his coworkers said that he should have gotten the house done first so he could move into it, but he felt he needed to save that for last. Why he couldn't say. He already had an area where he would like to plant a garden but that would wait for a while as he knew he didn't have time to work with it. He opened the patio door and entered the house. He took pride in what he had accomplished so far. After a few minutes of glancing at his handiwork, Johnny rolled up his sleeves and got to work.

Several hours later, Johnny sat down on the back porch facing the mountains. He leaned back against the outside wall of the house and stared at the beautiful scene before him. Reaching into the cooler beside him, he grabbed a soda, opened it and drained it. He thought of what he managed to carry out this morning and even surprised himself at what a little determination and elbow grease could get done when you couldn't sleep. He stretched and thought about closing his eyes for just a bit.

"Hey, Junior. Are you going to sleep the day away?"

Johnny jumped, startled by the voice in his ear. "Roy? What are you doing here and what time is it?"

"It's about 3 in the afternoon. I tried calling you at your apartment around 2 p.m. to see if you wanted to join me, Joanne and the kids at our place for a barbeque. Figured when you didn't answer that you'd be out here," replied Roy.

"About 4:45 this morning. I couldn't sleep so figured I might as well put some of that energy to good use. I can't believe I fell asleep on the porch."

"If you were up that early, it doesn't surprise me that you fell asleep," said Roy. "What I don't understand is why you were out here so early. I mean, I know when you have problems sleeping you usually do something to work off that energy, but wow. Let's go inside and see what you have gotten done and see what else we can do before we go to my home."

Roy put out a hand to help Johnny up and followed him inside. He was pleasantly surprised to see all that Johnny had accomplished in the past ten months. The barn was finished about a month ago, along with the corral. He noticed that Johnny had taken great care in what he chose to use in the house as far as flooring, paint, wallpaper, and various color schemes. He had done this with his future bride in mind, whoever that may turn out to be. It was not feminine by any means but more along the lines of gender neutral in design, but with the right accessories could go either direction. The guys wound up back on the porch after the quick tour. Johnny reached back into his cooler and grabbed a couple of beers handing one to Roy. They sat in silence companionship and enjoyed the view.

Soon the conversation turned to why Johnny was having a hard time sleeping lately and he told Roy about the last installment in his dream with the girl being in danger this time and not being able to put his skills to use. Roy could tell that Johnny was bothered by this even though he knew it was just a dream. He let his partner keep on talking as it seemed to always take a bit of the frustration out of him. Once Johnny started to wind down and realized that he had been ranting for a while, he chuckled. He told Roy it was time to get out of there and to get home to start that grill up. He had worked up an appetite. Roy rolled his eyes as he realized there would probably be no leftovers tomorrow.

Looking both ways, the blonde haired girl ran across the road and through the parking lot. She couldn't believe that she was going to be at least ten minutes late for her third day on the job, but what did she expect. Today her luck ran out as her car decided to conk out on her again, so she had to take the transit system. She was thanking her lucky stars that she at least had gotten on the right bus.

She had been told by her new supervisor that she could reach the lab by going through the Emergency Department and remembered he had said that the stairs leading down to the lab were by the elevator. Upon reaching the entrance to the Emergency Department, she noticed a red truck with the number 51 on it. Curious, she peeked inside and saw two fire helmets sitting on the bench seat of the truck. For some odd reason, there was something about the truck and number on it that tickled the back of her mind like she should know the significance of it. Figuring that she had better quit snooping, she turned and ran into Rampart's Emergency Department. As she flew by the nurses' station, she waved a quick hello to Dixie, who just smiled and silently laughed to herself as she watched the newest member of Rampart's staff running down the hall as she was late for work.

Roy and Johnny both came out of treatment room 4 and headed over to the nurses' station to talk to Dixie and stock up on some of the supplies they were running short of. As he got closer to the nurses' station, Johnny stopped and sniffed the air as he thought he could recognize the scent of perfume in the air but wasn't sure where he had smelled it before. Roy turned to look at his partner and could see him sniffing the air and wondered what was up with him now.

"Junior, what are you doing? The air in here is just fine."

"I know but I am trying to figure out why that scent I can smell is so familiar," replied Johnny as he looked around trying to figure out where the scent was coming from.

"I think that bump on your head has affected your senses. Either that or it's that weird dream you keep having," stated Roy as he gave Dixie their supply order.

Dixie looked at Johnny while she was getting the supplies and said, "What weird dream?"

"It's nothing," said Johnny. "I've just been having this same dream every night and I can't figure it out."

Roy chuckled and said to Dixie, "He's got a dream girl but can't see her face, doesn't know her name and it's driving him crazy."

Johnny turned to Roy and just glared at him. Dixie giggled and looked to Johnny, saying "You have been chasing too many nurses around here lately. You need a break. Perfume, huh. What type of scent is it?"

"It's kind of a combination, lavender, roses, violets and something else that I just…..hey, why am I telling you this anyway! You two are just going to keep laughing at me," said Johnny as he glared at the head nurse and his partner who were trying not to chuckle any harder than they already w s ere. "I'll be in the squad, Roy, when you two are finished making fun of me." With that aid, he grabbed the handi-talkie and left the nurses' station.

Roy grabbed the box of supplies and with one last look at Dixie; he followed in his steamed partner's footsteps, still hearing Dixie giggling behind him. He had to admit it was kind of funny watching his partner sniff the air. His latest obsession seemed to be getting the best of him, even if it was a dream. Opening the door to the squad, he tossed the box of supplies on the seat and got in. Johnny was staring straight ahead and Roy knew he was thinking about the dream woman or lover; however you wanted to look at it. He figured he would just let Johnny stew for a while as he knew that his partner would eventually bring up the subject and either ask a lot of questions or analyze it to death.

_He watched her once again walk away from him. He reached out to her and grabbed only air, which only frustrated him more. He wanted to know about the dream he had the other night where she was being hurt and why he couldn't help her. But she wasn't going to give him the chance._

_She turned to him and said to him, "You can't see me because you haven't opened your heart up. When you can do that, only then will you truly see me."_

_"How the hell am I supposed to understand this? You enter my dreams, tell me riddles and then disappear. I don't even know what I'm looking for, an elusive woman or a ghost."_

_She laughed and replied, "I am definitely not a ghost. But I will tell you this; I am only elusive because you try too hard. You need to look at what you truly want and to quit searching for it. If you do this, then just maybe you'll find the answer you are looking for."_

_He became angry with her as she once again answered him with another riddle. He began to shout at her, letting her know his frustration. As he did this, she began to back away from his presence, tears filling up in her eyes. When he noticed that she was once again gone, he cried out in frustration._

"Johnny! Wake up!" Roy was leaning over his partner and trying to gently shake him awake. Johnny was in the throes of his dream again but this time he was shouting at whoever was in the dream. He had literally woken up everyone in the dorm room.

"Whaa…." Johnny jumped up as Roy leaned over him for the second time. He had jumped up so fast, so unexpectedly that he and Roy literally bashed heads together. Roy fell back onto his bed and could see stars in front of his eyes. Captain Stanley had heard their heads hit and immediately got up to turn on the lights. He walked over to see Roy sitting on his bed shaking his head.

"You okay, Roy?" he asked his senior paramedic.

"Yeah, just got my bell rung a bit. Johnny's got one hard head," replied Roy as his eyesight started settling down. "Junior, are you awake now?"

"Yes. What the hell were you trying to wake me up for?" he asked feeling a little irritated and trying to shake the wooliness from his head.

Captain Stanley answered for Roy, "He was trying to wake you up because you were arguing with someone who is not in this room. Do you plan on doing this every shift?"

Johnny looked at his captain and couldn't believe that his dream was turning into a nightmare. He felt bad that he woke up his shift mates while he was trying to argue with the woman in his dreams that more than likely didn't even exist.

"No, Cap. I am so sorry about this." he said as he swung his legs over the edge of the bed.

"That's good because I really don't think I could take another episode of nightmares and mid-nocturnal awakenings like this," replied Captain Stanley. "Now, it's four in the morning and personally I would like a couple more hours of sleep." He walked back to his bed, shutting off the lights before crawling back into it.

"Hey, Johnny. You ever going to introduce us to this mystery woman you were arguing with?" whispered Chet. "Sounds like she might be fun."

"Kelly, if I hear one more word out of you, you will be doing latrine duty for the rest of the year. Got it?"

"Yes, Cap," replied Chet, rather sullenly as he rolled over and faced the wall by his bed. He laid there thinking of ways to get his pigeon to tell him who this mystery woman is.

While he listened to Chet muttering to himself, Johnny laid back down with his hands behind his head. He was trying to figure out the latest installment to this ever puzzling dream. Realizing that he was not going to fall back asleep easily, he got up, pulled on his turnout pants and headed to the kitchen. Roy listened to Johnny get up and then decided to follow him to the dayroom/kitchen area of the station. He poured himself a glass of water and waited patiently for Johnny to glance up and acknowledge his presence. When Johnny finally glanced up at him, it surprised Roy to see the haunted look in his eyes.

"Are you going to be okay, Junior?"

"Roy, I don't know how much more of this dream I can put up with. It seems to be taking over my sleep, turning it into a nightmare especially when I am arguing with a woman who I think I have only met once!" Johnny put his head in his hands and sighed. "And now on top of that, I am waking up all of you. Chet is going to have a field day with this."

"What do you mean 'a woman you have only met once?" questioned Roy. "I thought you had never met this dream girl of yours."

"At first I thought she was just a figment of my imagination. But, Roy, while I was sniffing in the air at Rampart today, it dawned on me why the scent was familiar. You remember the girl I brought with us to the fireworks display in Santa Monica on New Year's Eve 1974?" Roy nodded his head and Johnny continued on saying, "It was the same scent that the girl I was with that night wore. I hadn't thought about her in months and now I think she is the one haunting my dreams. Wish I knew what this meant," Johnny said softly.

"I wish I could tell you what this dream is representing but unfortunately I can't. What surprises me is that you can remember the scent a woman was wearing and you only met her once. Is there anything I can do to help?"

Johnny looked up at Roy and sighed again, "I wish there was, but I have to work this out on my own and soon. But I've been thinking about this a lot and I've come to one conclusion, Roy." When Roy did not reply, Johnny continued, "I really would like to find that one person and settle down. I want what you and Joanne have together…..a family."

Roy was surprised when he heard Johnny state this. He knew that his partner and friend had done some serious looking into the women he had dated and was finding something lacking, but never would have guessed this. The two friends continued to talk and when they realized that it was almost 6 a.m., decided it would be futile to try to go back to sleep.

"Roy, thanks for listening to me. Hopefully I can get this figured out soon so that I don't wind up with a trip to the psychiatrist's couch. Chet would love that," said Johnny with a chuckle.

"Anytime, Junior. Why don't you go jump in the shower and I'll start some breakfast." said Roy as he put his hand on Johnny's shoulder and squeezed it, letting his partner know that he was there for him. He was glad that they had the weekend coming up off as it seemed like it was going to be a very long week if Johnny's dreams became nightmares and if Chet started in on him about it, he hated to even think about that.

Dixie watched the petite blonde as she meandered through the cafeteria and out to the patio. She could tell by the way the girl was walking that she had something on her mind. She decided to invite her to join her for lunch and get to know her a bit better.

"Why don't you come join me over here for lunch." said Dixie as she waved to the girl. She smiled as she watched the newest member of Rampart's staff walk in her direction and chuckled silently as she watched a couple of the orderlies gawk as she went by.

"Hi, Dixie. How's the ER today?" she asked as she sat down at Dixie's table.

"Not too bad really for a Friday. Been kind of quiet so I am catching up with my paperwork. So how's your first month been here so far and are you enjoying your first day without supervision?"

"Not too bad actually. I like not having someone looking over my shoulder. I got the reports written for a bunch of cultures I set up the other day, five kids from an elementary school all came down with strep throat at the same time. I am so looking forward to the weekend," she said as she bit into her sandwich. "What about you – have any plans for the upcoming weekend?"

"Not really. I will probably just clean my apartment, maybe go to the beach if the weather stays nice," replied Dixie. "Are you getting settled into your home?"

"Finally. It helped that I found a realtor that could supervise the movers when I found out my belongings made it here before I did," the girl said with a bit of laughter in her voice. "I was stuck in Vegas where my car broke down the first time and made it to Carson two days before I had to work. And of course, we know how well my car was working on my third day of work and orientation."

While they slowly ate their lunch, the two women talked about the new house she had purchased prior to her move to Carson and what they really wanted to do on the upcoming weekend. The blonde thought she heard something behind her and quickly whipped her head around for a look. As Dixie looked in the same direction, she caught whiff of a very subtle scent and it reminded her of a conversation she had with Johnny last week.

"Can I ask you what kind of perfume is that you are wearing?" she asked.

"It's one that I concocted on my own. It's lavender, a bit of roses and violets with just a hint of musk thrown in. Interested?"

"Now I am. You really make your own perfume?" Dixie was intrigued as she had remembered the names of the scents that Johnny had rattled off absentmindedly the other day when he and Roy were in the ER.

"Yes. I am allergic to most perfumes, so I decided to learn how to make my perfume. It's kind of fun because you can create a scent that is uniquely your own. You should come over to my place some time when neither of us is working and maybe we can create one for you."

"I think I am going to have to take you up on that. I'll call you and let you know when I have a couple of days in a row off and don't have anything going on," said Dixie. She looked at her watch. "I had better get going or I am going to be late getting back from lunch. It was nice talking with you. Let's do this again."

They picked up their trays and took them back to the cafeteria and headed to their respective departments. Dixie was so absorbed in what she was thinking that she didn't see Dr. Kelly Brackett standing almost right in front of her.

"Hey, lady. I think you need to put your blinkers on," he said laughing at her as he grabbed her by the arms to steady her. "What's got you so caught up that you weren't paying attention to where you were going."

Dixie looked up and said, "Oh. Hi, Kel. I was just thinking about a certain young lab research assistant I just had lunch with and how much fun I am going to have with a certain young paramedic." She chuckled out loud.

"I don't know why I am asking this, but what do you have up your sleeve?" He looked at his head nurse and wondering what had her feeling so mischievous.

"It started with something Johnny said to me last week and now I think I have found out what he was talking about and I am just wondering how I could get the two to meet."

Dr. Brackett and Dixie talked as they headed to the base station. Kel couldn't believe that Dixie was thinking of playing matchmaker for Johnny and the new research assistant from the lab. He cautioned Dixie about trying to set Johnny up with this young woman and how it could backfire and put her in an unfavorable position with the paramedic she is so fond of. Dixie just looked at him and rolled her eyes implying like anything he said would stop her from trying to put together two young people who were meant for each other.

Johnny whistled softly to himself as he walked into the locker room. He opened up his locker and began to change into his uniform. During his last four days off, he had gotten a lot done around his new home. The house was almost finished and he was just about ready to move in. Better yet, he had not had that dream during that time off. He kept himself so busy that he practically passed out on the bed at the end of the day.

Roy could hear Johnny whistling inside the locker room and knew from the whistling that his partner had gotten accomplished what he had said he was going to do. Walking in the locker room, he looked at Johnny as he opened his locker and asked him, "So from your whistling, I take it you had a good weekend?"

"Yeah, Pally. I almost done with the house and will be ready to move in shortly. That last four days I had off were really productive days and from the looks of the place, it is starting to show. Better yet, I slept really well. No dreams."

"That's good to hear. You were looking pretty down when the weekend finally arrived. I figured you would have been happy getting out of there for a while."

"I was, but I just didn't want to start having nightmares again. It was bad enough the last time and keeping you up…well, let's just say that it's bad enough when my sleep is disrupted but when it starts affecting my coworkers' sleep, it bothers me."

The two paramedics talked about other things they had done on their days off and went to join Marco, Mike and Chet for roll call. Captain Stanley went over a few things that he hadn't been able to get at before the end of their last shift and then handed out the duties for the day. Chet, as was the norm, got stuck with latrine duty again because the Phantom's last victim was the Cap himself as he opened the booby-trapped cupboard instead of Johnny.

_He watched her once again turn away from him. This time, he thought, she is not going to do this to me. "Why can't you tell me what it is you want of me?"_

_She turned to him and said to him, "It's not what I want of you but what you want of yourself."_

_Johnny sighed in frustration with another riddle that she placed before him. "I am so tired of these riddles you throw at me. How the hell am I supposed to understand this? You enter my dreams, tell me riddles and then disappear. I just want to find the one person meant for me and to have a family. Is that too much for me to ask?"_

_She replied, "No, Johnny, it is not too much to ask. I will tell you this, the answer is only elusive because you try too hard. You already have figured out part of the riddle, what it is you truly want. Now all you need to do to solve the rest of the riddle is to quit searching for it because only then will the rest be revealed to you."_

_He could feel himself getting angry again as she once again answered him with the same riddle, but as he went to vent his frustration, her words began to make sense. He had figured out part of the riddle, the fact that he wanted what Roy had…a family to come home to. As he turned towards her, he could sense she was smiling at him for finally realizing what she had tried to get him to understand. Just as he was going to ask her again what she meant by not searching, he heard a loud annoying sound running through his ears…_

"Johnny, come on. We have a run. Get up!"

Johnny jumped up and out of bed as he realized that the klaxon was going off. He got into his gear and headed out to the squad as Roy was starting it up. He barely had time to shut the door before they were out of the station and racing down the road with the engine right behind them. Roy explained to Johnny that it was a motor vehicle accident and that was all they knew.

"You must have really been out cold, Junior. Usually you jump up the minute the first bell goes off."

"I finally realized part of the riddle that what I have hashed out in my dreams has been exactly what I told you…that I want what you have with Joanne and that is a family. In my dream, she told me that, but that I am still trying too hard and need to quit searching. I was going to ask her what she meant by not searching when the klaxon went off," said Johnny. "Hey, what time is it anyway?"

"It's about 5:45 a.m. This is really going screw up a bit of the morning commute for some," replied Roy as he looked at Johnny and was pleased to see that his partner looked like he actually got a good night's sleep for once, even if the dream woman was present.

Just then Johnny let loose with a few choice words as the accident came into view. A semi and recreational vehicle had been involved in an accident. From the way it looked to the guys, the semi blew a tire on the right side of the cab, lost control and sideswiped the RV. In turn, the driver of the RV lost control of his vehicle and rolled it several times down an embankment. Roy pulled the squad off to the side that was closest to the RV and Johnny was out of the squad before it came to a complete halt. Running between the broken guard raid, Johnny began to slide down the hill to the RV and prayed to God that someone was alive in there. Roy wasn't that far behind.

While the paramedics were looking for the best way to get inside the RV, Captain Stanley directed his men to various points around the accident. Chet disconnected the batteries in the semi as Marco began to hose down the gasoline that was leaking around it. Stations 127 and 110 and Squad 110 had also arrived on the scene as the police were telling them that they were not sure how many victims were inside the RV.

The embankment was a long slope down to the dry creek bed. The RV had landed on its roof in the creek and by some miracle had not ruptured its fuel tank as it rolled downhill. Once they finished around the semi, Chet and Marco also helped set up the lines to send the equipment down the hill on the stokes to the paramedics. Wheeler and Kirk followed Roy and Johnny down to the RV. From the looks of the RV, the front end was caved in from rolling downhill.

As he reached the bottom of the embankment, Johnny looked at Roy and said, "I hope they are alright in there. My god, how could anyone survive this? The RV looks like an accordion!"

"I know, Junior. Let's just see if there is a way to get in."

"Johnny, come to the back of the RV," yelled Wheeler. "I think the window is loose enough for us to try to pull it out but I think you are the only one who might fit through it the way it is now."

Johnny, Roy and Kirk raced around to the back of the RV and looked inside it. Everything was a jumbled mess. Furniture, pillows, items belonging to the occupants of the vehicle were strewn all over the place. The guys couldn't tell if anyone was even in there. Wheeler was trying to pull the back window of the RV open a bit more and looked to them for help. Johnny had a pry bar in his hand and got on the other side of Wheeler to place it inside the area that he has gotten loose. Soon the cracking of glass could be heard and the window popped out.

"Quiet everyone. I need to try to see if anyone can hear us," said Roy. "Hello, can anyone hear us? My name is Roy De Soto and I am with the LA County Fire Department. If you can hear me, please try and shout out to me."

The guys listened intently and soon they all heard a very faint voice, a voice crying underneath the jumbled mess of the interior. Roy motioned to Johnny to get inside and locate the victim and assess the patient's injuries.

Wheeler gave Johnny a boost up to the window. As he lowered himself into the RV, Johnny prayed that the child was not underneath the area he just stepped into.

"Honey, I need you to keep crying or call out to me so that I can find you."

Johnny could hear the faint voice of a child, "I….am…..underneath…. a bunch of stuff. It hurts to breathe… I don't even know where I am. Where's my mom?"

"I know, sweetheart. Can you tell me your name?" From the breathlessness nature of the child's voice, Johnny knew she was hurt bad, possibly some broken ribs, maybe a punctured lung and internal bleeding. He kept talking to her to not only keep her calm but to hopefully find her. "Come on, sweetheart. You can tell me your name.

"It's….Chelsea. Please, mister, find my mom. I think she's hurt bad."

"Chelsea, I am going to try to find you and your mother. Just keep talking to me so I can find you and in the process I hope to find your mom. Chelsea, can you tell me how many people were in the camper with you?"

Johnny heard no reply to his question. "Chelsea, are you still there? Don't go to sleep on me or I won't be able to find you." As he kept talking to the girl, he carefully began to pick up cushions, pots and pans, and other items that fell out of cupboards and drawers. "Chelsea, come on honey, give me an answer. How many others were in the camper with you?"

"Five. My dad…..mom…..older brother….younger sister… We were going….going to…. to Oregon….visit our grandparents."

As Johnny reached down and picked up a large cushion that more than likely covered a long bench seat in the back, he found himself looking into a very large pair of blue eyes racked with pain and full of tears. He could see blood on her face and trickling down her cheek onto her neck. Quickly he ran his hands over her arms, torso, legs to assess for any other injuries, all while keeping up a conversation to help her keep a sense of calm. He knew he had limited time to move her.

"Chelsea, I presume?" When the girl nodded yes, he smiled at her. "My name is Johnny and I am going to help get you out of here."

"Roy, Wheeler, I need help in here. Bring c-collars, backboards, anything you can get in here."

"Johnny, what's up?" shouted Roy.

"I have one young female, approximately 14 years of age. She has a tib-fib fracture, multiple contusions, possibly a punctured lung. We need to get her out of her here fast! I can also hear some moaning nearby but I'm not sure exactly where."

"On our way. We have c-collars and backboards on standby. Kirk will hand them in when we need them and has the bio-phone ready."

Roy and Wheeler had finished prying the rest of the back window out of the frame and climbed in through it to help Johnny with the girl and to find any other survivors. Johnny filled them in on the others that the girl told him about. By then, Chet and Marco had made it down the hill and were on the other side of the window to help get the girl out. Wheeler headed to the front of the RV to try to locate the father and son, while Roy helped Johnny get the girl on the stokes and hand her out the window to Chet and Marco. Once out of the RV, Johnny and Kirk immediately contacted Rampart to let them know what type of injuries they were dealing with and received instructions for treatment.

As he reached the front of the wrecked RV, Wheeler found the father and son. He kneeled down to clear the debris away from the son's face and checked his carotid for a pulse. He found none as he knew he would. He then turned to check the father and found the same results. His heart felt heavy as he stood back and took a nearby white blanket and covered both victims. While Wheeler was checking on the father and son, Roy found the mother and she too was longer with this world. He pondered where the younger sister was when he heard a sound from what he thought might be the bathroom.

"Wheeler, come help me move some of this furniture. I think the third child is in the bathroom," cried Roy as he picked up a chair and threw it towards the back.

Wheeler joined him and they made short work of the pile of stuff blocking the entrance to the bathroom. Roy grabbed the door handle and yanked it open. The sight that greeted them stopped them in their tracks. A girl about ten years of age stood there covered in what could only be the contents of the toilet. The look on her face was that of total indignation and irritation. The smell then assaulted their senses and Wheeler backed up waving at the air in front of his face.

"I can't…..Roy. She is all yours," said Wheeler as he backed away from Roy and the girl. It wasn't just that the smell was bad and it was just the look upon the child's face that almost set him laughing.

Roy knelt in front of the girl and said, "Hi, my name is Roy and I work for the fire department. Are you hurt anywhere?"

The girl looked at Roy and shook her head no. She hung her head as if she was embarrassed about what happened to her. Roy looked at the child thinking sadly of the news that would be delivered to her and her sister later. He reached out with his hand and lifted her chin so she could look at him.

"Honey, it's okay. You don't need to be embarrassed," said Roy as he looked around and found a towel to help wipe the mess off the poor child. He kept up a running commentary with the girl to keep her mind off her situation. He could feel her shaking under his attempt to clean her off and didn't know what else to do…until he heard a small chuckle and found himself looking into two bright eyes trying not laugh.

The girl looked up at Roy and just busted up laughing and couldn't quit. He soon joined in as it was infectious. Wheeler looked at them like they had lost their minds. Roy figured the girl needed a good laugh because soon it would turn to sorrow. After getting her wiped off the best he could, he checked her over for injuries and finding none, handed her out the window to Wheeler. Johnny had already headed to Rampart with the first victim and another ambulance was waiting to take Wheeler and the other victim.

Roy and Kirk made quick work of grabbing their equipment and waited for help to get back up top. Kirk turned and looked at Roy, stating "What was so funny in there? I couldn't believe it when I heard laughter."

Roy looked at Kirk and couldn't help but smile and replied, "The little girl was found in the bathroom. When the RV started to fishtail, she had the smarts to brace herself in that small space, said she saw it on a TV show one time and had the sense to try it. Well, she wasn't counting on one thing." Roy had to stop to get his composure as he wanted to start laughing again as he recalled what happened.

"Come on, Roy. Don't keep me hanging. What wasn't she counting on?"

"She wasn't counting on the contents of the toilet to come running back out. When we got the door opened, she was standing there with such a disgusted look upon her face that Wheeler told me she was all mine and backed out of there before he started laughing."

Kirk looked at Roy with such a look of disbelief and then began to laugh at the picture forming in his mind. Roy joined in. Chet and Marco came around the corner from the front of the RV looking at the two of them thinking they both had snapped. Once the guys were back up top, they stored their gear and headed to Rampart to pick up their partners.

Johnny came out of Treatment Room 4 and saw his partner talking to Dixie and one of the lab techs at the base station. He figured Roy was checking up on how the two girls that they rescued four days ago were doing. He headed over that direction to join them when he saw who the lab tech was.

"Hey, Mandy. Have you changed your mind yet about going out with me?"

"You dreaming again, Gage. How many times you going to put up with my refusal?" said the brunette as she laughed at him.

"Oh, I suppose as many times it takes until you say yes. So put a poor guy out of his misery and say yes." He looked at her with puppy dog eyes and his lopsided grin.

"Johnny, I hate to disappoint you but I am just going to have to say no…again. My boyfriend would not like it."

"You know I will never stop asking you. A guy can't help but want to take you out," replied Jonny as he laughed at their banter.

"Don't ever stop asking, Johnny, it does wonders for my ego…knowing guys are still attracted to me," said Mandy as she enjoyed their 'flirting'. "But I will tell you this I have a friend who would make you forget me in a heartbeat."

Johnny looked at the stunning brunette with amber-colored eyes and smiled back at her, saying, "I highly doubt it."

"Seriously, Johnny, if you want to meet her, join us this coming Saturday at the Red Wolf in Long Beach. A bunch of us from work and a few friends from USC are meeting there around 8 p.m."

Mandy turned to Dixie and said, "You are welcome to join us also, Dixie. In fact, see if you can get Brackett to come along and loosen up. Don't forget to ask Dr. Early, too. He would enjoy the Red Wolf." She turned to Roy and said, "Roy, why don't you and Joanne join us too." Without waiting for an answer from Roy, Mandy turned to Dixie to give her some of the details of the club they were going to.

Roy looked at Johnny and Dixie and chuckled to himself. Johnny was well-known for his determination in dating someone at Rampart, anyone new to the facility always came under fire from him. Mandy had been no exception. The one saving grace for her was that she was already dating one of their coworkers, Marco.

"Come on, Junior. We better head back to the station. See you later, Dixie."

As he was leaving, Johnny turned to Dixie and asked, "Dixie, are you thinking of going to the club with Mandy and the gang?"

"I just might, if I can get Kel and/or Joe to go along with me. Why, care to join me?" said Dixie as she smiled at the young paramedic.

Johnny just smiled in response, turned and ran to catch up with his partner. Dixie chuckled to herself as she watched one of her favorite paramedics (even though she won't admit to it) leave. She then turned back to Mandy and said, "Okay, girl. I know you are up to something. What is it?"

Mandy just smiled and replied, "What makes you think I am up to something? I just know that Johnny would probably like this certain friend of mine. I know she has talked about him…but in not so many words."

With that said, Mandy turned and headed back down to the lab, leaving Dixie standing there with her mouth open and her mind going a mile a minute. When it dawned on her what exactly Mandy meant by her cryptic comment, she started laughing as she realized Mandy had just beaten her to the punch with a certain research assistant and her favorite paramedic. She shook her head as she went back to the nurses' work schedules, still chuckling as she thought about a very pretty research assistant who already had people trying to set her up with a certain paramedic and didn't even know it.

Roy waited until Johnny had the door shut to the squad before he started it up. He looked at his partner of four years and wondered what he was thinking. Sometimes Johnny was as easy to read as a book, but other times he could be as murky as stagnant water. This was one of those times. Finally when Roy was just about to ask him what he was thinking, Johnny turned and looked at him.

"So, Pally, what do you think? Gonna join us this Saturday at the club?" he asked.

"Wish I could, Junior, but Joanne's sister is coming down on Friday and we are taking the kids to Knott's Berry Farm. Personally I would rather join you but if I bring it up, I am sure I will never hear the end of it."

Johnny laughed and replied, "Yeah, I sure Joanne will make you pay with her "honey-do" list if you do bring it up and then where will you be."

"In the doghouse," laughed Roy. "Are you thinking of going then, Johnny?"

"Yeah, I think I will. I have no plans for Saturday and since we have Sunday off, I'll be out the ranch putting the finishing touches on the house. So I might as well join them, meet this girl and then see what happens from there. Besides for some odd reason, my feeling is that if I miss this night, I am going to miss out on the best thing that has ever happened to me. And if I know Mandy, she won't let me forget it either!"

The two paramedics kept laughing as they thought about the woman who their coworker, Marco, was dating. She was a firecracker, as Chet would call her. They rode the rest of the way to the station in silence, both in their own thoughts of the upcoming weekend and hoping things all work out for the best.

Bree sighed with relief as she pulled her car into the garage. It had been one long day and she felt tired. She could see her roommate's car in the second stall of the garage and was surprised that she was home. Ever since Mandy began dating Marco, she had become non-existent in the house. She laughed at the expression on Mandy's face when she had asked her to move with her and took her over to her home on their lunch break a couple of weeks ago.

Mandy had practically danced up the sidewalk when she saw the house. Walking through the front door, she stood the foyer and shouted like a little kid so she could hear her voice echo, so she said. It took all of two seconds for Mandy to say yes to the roommate idea. She didn't even care where her room was because she spotted the pool and ran outside to check it out. Bree shook her head to dispel the memory and got out of the car, grabbing her things and shutting the door.

As she opened the door and entered the kitchen, she thought of how nice that it was Friday and was all sunshine and warmth. 'I think swimsuit and pool lounge is on my agenda for the weekend' thought Bree as she threw her purse and keys on the kitchen counter. She could see her roommate was already lounging outside by the pool, and from the looks of it, Bree thought, she is asleep.

She took her shoes off and quietly opened the door out to the patio. She softly walked up to the person lying on the lounger, grabbed the small bucket next to the pool's edge and filled it. As she turned to throw the water at her roommate, she felt herself become airborne and next thing she knew the water was over her head. As she surfaced, she saw Mandy's boyfriend, Marco, half bent by the pool's edge and laughing his head off. Mandy, herself, was sitting up on the lounger and laughing just as hard.

"We got you good, cousin!" cried Mandy between bouts of laughter.

"You were right, Mandy. You knew she wouldn't be able to resist you sleeping by the pool!" said Marco as he reached his hand out to help Bree out of the pool.

Bree had reached the edge and put her hand out for Marco's help to get out of the pool. What he didn't know is that she had her feet braced against the side of the pool and when he went to pull her out she pulled backwards using his weight against him and sent him right into the pool.

"Ha! Ha! That serves you right for being part of my cousin's prank," laughed Bree as Marco surfaced not too far from her with an astonished look on his face. She put her hands on the edge of the pool and raised herself up to get out.

"So what are you two lazybones doing for the day?" asked Bree as she wrung the water out of her hair and took the towel from her cousin's hand.

"Not much, Bree. We went hiking this morning and then decided to just lounge around here," said Mandy. "Hope you don't mind."

"Mandy, this place is just as much yours as it is mine. I don't mind your boyfriend here…as long as you two don't keep me up all night. Got any plans for the evening?

"Nope. We thought maybe we would see if you wanted to grill this evening," replied Mandy as she tossed a towel to Marco who joined them and sat down at the end of the lounger.

"Hey, Bree, you got plans for this weekend?" he asked as he began to towel dry his hair.

"I hadn't really thought about it. Weather is supposed to be nice so I might just be as lazy as you two are now and catch some rays tomorrow. Why…what's up?"

Mandy smiled at her boyfriend as he snuck in the weekend question. She looked at her cousin and said, "Well, a bunch of us were thinking of checking out the new club in Long Beach this Saturday night. I believe it is called the Red Wolf. We thought we would see if you would like to join us."

"You know, that sounds like a brilliant idea. What time are you thinking of heading over there? If I remember the ad I saw in the papers, it's the grand opening so it will be packed," replied Bree.

"I've got that taken care of. I have a couple of connections inside the bar and they are going to hold a table for me in exchange for an autograph from someone I know from school."

Bree laughed as she thought about Mandy and her connections. She was a very gregarious and fun-loving brunette who could get anyone off their butts and enjoying themselves. If anyone could get a party started, it was Mandy. It also helped that she was tall and beautiful with a pair of amber eyes most guys would tell her they would love to melt in. Mandy didn't take a lot of them too seriously as she knew what she wanted and most of the guys she met, she found lacking. Shortly after she started at Rampart, she met Marco, a local firefighter, and as she liked to say, the rest is history.

"Okay, cousin. My next two questions are what time and who's driving?" asked Bree.

"The time is 8 p.m. and Marco said he could drive," replied Mandy.

"Have you heard who the band is that's playing there for the grand opening?" she asked.

Mandy stammered trying to find the right answer. She looked everywhere around her but at her cousin directly. "Well, you have heard of them, cousin. The name of the band is Dakota Dreaming."

Bree's head shot up and she looked her cousin directly in the eye with the message that read 'I will talk to you later about this.' Marco caught the look exchange between the two girls and wondered what that was all about.

Johnny had to admit the music wasn't bad. It was a combination of country and rock, and that was just the piped in music until the band came on stage. When he arrived at the club, he wasn't sure of what he had gotten himself into. He had to admit that he was intrigued when Mandy mentioned that she had a friend that would make Johnny forget all about pestering Mandy for a date and he was never one to turn down the opportunity to meet a new girl.

He spotted Mandy and her 'entourage' at a rather large table not too far off the dance floor. At the same time, Marco saw Johnny and stood up waving to get his attention. Johnny waved back, weaving in and out of the crowd to get to the table.

"Wow. This place is crowded. What's up for tonight that everyone and their mother seem to be here for?"

"The band that's playing tonight used to be the backup band for a well-known country rock singer and I think a lot of the people are hoping that she will show up," replied Marco. "Glad you were able to make it, Johnny."

Johnny smiled and clapped his friend on the back and said, "What can I say, it's Mandy. For some reason, Marco, you just can't say no to her."

"Don't I know it," chuckled Marco.

When she heard Johnny's voice, Mandy turned from the one she was talking to and smiled at him. "It's about time you got here, Johnny. I was beginning to think you stood me up."

"Funny girl. Like I was telling your boyfriend here, none of us can say no to you," said Johnny. "So where's this friend of yours you want me to meet?"

"She's not here yet. She got tied up at work, said she was going to be a little late so she would just meet me here instead. You know, Johnny, I'm surprised that you've never run into her when you and Roy were at Rampart. She works there."

"Seriously? She works at Rampart and I've never seen her. Boy, I am slipping. Where does she hide out at?"

Mandy laughed at Johnny's expression. "She is a research assistant in the lab."

He smiled and stepped closer to Mandy, pretending to twirl the corner of a mustache he didn't have, saying "Tell me more about this girl, Mandy. You have my curiosity peaked."

Mandy sat down next to Marco and began to fill Johnny in on her friend from the lab. She tried to be careful not to give her friend's name as she had remembered her cousin telling her about meeting a young man at the beach a year ago when she had been here visiting. As she described him to her, she immediately thought of Johnny. Of course, she could be wrong but who knows. It's always fun to play matchmaker anyway.

While Mandy was filling Johnny in on her friend, the object of their discussion had come sneaking in through the back door of the club. She had been running late due to an unforeseen glitch in the project she was working on. When she arrived at the club, there was a line at the main entrance that was so long she didn't even want to try and get in that way. Thank god she had recognized one of the roadies for the band standing by the bus and although it cost her fifty dollars for his silence, she got him to help her get into the club through the back. She just prayed she wouldn't be recognized by anybody else with the band and could make it to the table that Mandy said she would be at. And as luck would have it, she was able to sneak through backstage and made good her escape unnoticed by all.

As the petite young woman was making good her escape from backstage, Dixie and Dr. Joe Early were making their way into the club. No matter how hard she tried to get Dr. Kelly Brackett to join them, he stubbornly would not budge on going out to a club that night. Joe saw Johnny and Marco talking and pointed them out to Dixie. They weaved their way through the crowd and approached the pair.

"Hi, Johnny. Thank god you are tall enough to spot in this crowd," said Dixie.

Johnny turned and smiled when he saw Joe and Dixie. "Hi to you too, Dixie. Glad you could make it. Hi, Dr. Early. It's nice to see you could come too." He turned back to Dixie and said, "Couldn't get Dr. Brackett to come, huh?"

Joe laughed and beat Dixie to the punch on the answer, "Nope. No matter how hard Dixie tried, no bullying, no cajoling, or sweet talking was going to get him to come out tonight. Besides you know him, when it comes to major crowds and what he would call loud, raucous music, he will avoid it. So you're stuck with me. By the way, what kind of music are we in for tonight?"

"Not really sure, but from what I can tell with the background music playing, I'm going to guess and say it's a mixture of country and rock."

Dixie smiled and said, "That should make it interesting. Who's the band?"

Mandy, who had gone to see if her cousin was in line, returned to the group and noticed that Dixie and Joe had made it to the club. She walked around Marco and hugged Dixie, saying, "It's nice to see you and Joe made it. I see Dr. Brackett didn't want to come, that's too bad because he would have loved tonight."

"So has our mutual friend shown up yet?" asked Dixie as she had talked to Mandy earlier and told her she knew exactly what Mandy was up to…and with who.

"No, and I'm beginning to worry if she's going to show up. When I last talked to her, she said she was just finishing up fixing a problem with her research project and would be heading home to get ready. That was over two hours ago. She should've been here by now," replied Mandy. "Oh, to answer your question, Dixie, the band is called Dakota Dreaming. They were the backup band for the country rock star, Bree Montgomery."

"Isn't she the one who just up and walked away from a very lucrative career about a year ago, or was it longer than that?"

"Yes, she's the one. The rumor from Nashville was that one day she just up and told everyone she was done and no one has heard anything of her since. But enough of her, let's sit down before someone comes along and snags the few empty chairs we have left at this table."

The group sat down and introductions were made all around. A few of Mandy's friends from USC in Long Beach had joined them, along with Mandy's brother and his girlfriend. It turned out to be a large crowd of about 12 people, if you counted Mandy's missing friend. Mandy sat down next to Marco and wondered to herself where her absent friend was and if she was backing out of the evening.

No sooner had the thought crossed Mandy's mind did the object of her thoughts make it into the main part of the club. She stood in the aisle between a set of tables and thought to herself, 'How am I supposed to find them in this crowd?" She glanced about her and just happened upon Mandy's boyfriend, Marco. She sighed with relief now that she had discovered where they were sitting and immediately headed in their direction.

Marco turned to check behind him when he noticed Mandy's cousin making her way in their direction. He tapped Mandy on the shoulder and told her to look behind them. She turned and looking in the direction that Marco was pointing, smiling as she saw her cousin. As the girl crossed the dance floor, the band walked on stage and started to play one of her and Mandy's favorite dance songs. The petite blonde stopped in the middle of the floor and cocked her head to one side, looking at Mandy like 'Well, aren't you going to join me?"

When Mandy heard the song and saw that her cousin was waiting, she jumped up so quickly nearly knocking her chair over. Marco had the foresight to grab it before it actually hit the floor. He grinned with astonishment as he watched the two girls begin a dance routine that would have put a professional team to shame. Side-by-side, they shook, shimmied and slid, so perfectly in sync that people wondered if they were with the band. At one point, the girl looked over and saw Dixie, making a small motion with her finger to see if she could entice her friend to come join them. Dixie looked on in astonishment as she watched them dance. She shook her head when she realized that her young friend really wanted her to come out there. She wasn't sure if she even knew those steps, much less some of the body movements those two were pulling off.

Across the table from Marco, Johnny looked on with something a little more than disbelief. He found himself staring at the woman who disappeared from his sight on New Year's Eve whose name was always in the back of his mind…Brenna. He couldn't believe what he was seeing. Here was that beautiful soft-spoken blonde dancing right in front of him. What he couldn't figure out is how he could not have seen her at Rampart….after all she was working there.

Joe leaned over to Dixie and asked her, "What's with Johnny? He looks like he's seen a ghost."

Dixie smiled at Joe and replied, "I think he has. I bet the girl from his dreams has come to life and he can't believe what he is seeing." She stretched her arm across the table and touched Johnny on the arm. Not realizing how fixated he was on Brenna, he jumped when he felt Dixie's fingers on his arm.

"Are you okay, Johnny?" she asked him.

"Honestly, Dixie, I don't know. I take it you know who she is…..the one Mandy's dancing with?"

"Yes, Johnny, I do," replied Dixie. "She's been at Rampart for a little over a month. And from the look on your face, I think you know her too."

"I met her…a little over a year ago. What I don't understand is how come I never ran into her at Rampart."

"I wish I could answer that question for you…call it fate I suppose. But if it's any consolation, Johnny, I think she's always wondered about you."

Johnny turned and looked at Dixie, trying to figure out what she meant by that. He guessed Dixie more than likely got to know Brenna quite well in the short period she'd been working at Rampart but he still wondered why he never ran into her. He turned his focus back to the dance floor and the young woman who had stolen his heart a little over a year ago then disappeared.

When the song came to an end, the crown went wild. They were clapping and whooping it up for the two girls who had put on a performance that no one was expecting. Brenna and Mandy looked at each other, grabbed hands and turned to the audience taking a bow. They giggled as they ran towards their table off to the side of the floor. Brenna came to a stop and stared at the dark-haired young man who was walking around the table towards her. She couldn't believe who she was seeing. She remembered him vividly from the evening she spent in his arms watching the fireworks show from the pier.

"Johnny?" questioned Brenna.

"Yes, Brenna. It's me," replied Johnny as he stopped directly in front of her. He could see that she was shaking, but couldn't tell if it was from fear or from excitement.

A thousand thoughts raced through her mind as she glanced up at the man she had wanted to stay with but had to leave instead. She could feel the tears filling up her eyes and didn't know what to do next. She thought of turning and running once again but from the look in his eyes he wasn't about to let that happen. As she lowered her head to avoid his gaze, she felt his fingers grasp her chin and lift it back up so she couldn't hide from him. With his other hand, he wiped away the one tear that had escaped and was slipping down her cheek. She closed her eyes and a soft moan escaped from her lips as she felt his fingers softly brush against her skin. When he heard that moan, he was lost. He couldn't help himself. He lowered his head and captured her lips with his.

Brenna could feel her knees weaken as he deepened his kiss. She reached up to grab his arms to keep herself from sinking to the floor. She felt his silent chuckle at her response to the kiss and could feel him tightening his arms around her.

When Johnny finally broke the kiss, he was stunned by his own reaction to it. He pulled Brenna even closer into his embrace so that the others could not see just how he had reacted to this beautiful woman. He could feel Brenna's body begin to shake in his embrace and loosened his hold to allow her some breathing room. As he did so, he realized she was giggling. When she looked up into his eyes, it took his breath away to see her deep sapphire blue eyes laughing at him.

"Methinks you have a bit of a problem, Johnny," she whispered softly so only he could hear her words.

"How right you are, my lady, and you are the cause of it," replied Johnny as he rested his chin on top of her head and looked out toward his friends. He chuckled when he saw the looks on the faces of his friends around the table. He dipped his head down towards Brenna and whispered something in her ear.

Brenna spun around in Johnny's arms and upon seeing the looks they were giving them she could not help but blush all the way to the roots of her hair. When she had seen Johnny walking towards her, she had completely forgotten where she was. She locked eyes with Mandy who returned a smile with a knowing look in her eyes. Brenna quickly turned back around in Johnny's arms and hid her face in his chest. He gazed down at the top of her head and then back at Mandy with a questioning look in his eyes.

Johnny reached down, placed his hand under Brenna's chin and brought her face up so she was looking right at him. He gave her a quick kiss and whispered in her ear, "Please do not disappear again on me. I have spent a little more than a year wondering what happened to you."

As Brenna stared into Johnny's eyes, she placed her hand on his cheek and replied, "Wild horses could not drag me away from you tonight…at least not like they did the last time." Not knowing what else she to say, she leaned back into his embrace and laid her head on his chest again, listening to the beating of his heart and slowing down her own breathing.

Johnny tightened his arms around Brenna once again and rested his chin back on top of her head while he looked at his friends around the table. At this point he was wishing they were anywhere but in the club. He had finally found her again and to be in a large crowd of people was not exactly where he wanted to be with her. Mandy caught Johnny's eye and tipped her head toward the door indicating to him 'Get out of here. We'll be fine without the two of you.'

Without saying a word to Brenna, he threw a couple of bills on the table to pay for the drink he had ordered, took Brenna's purse from Mandy and turned her toward the aisle heading for the exit. Mandy smiled as she watched her best friend and cousin leave with the man she had fallen in love with and thought that she had lost. She turned to Marco, took his face in her hands and placed kiss upon his lips.

As soon as the couple had left the area, chaos erupted. Everyone was speaking at once, trying to figure out what had just taken place.

"What the hell just happened?" asked Marco.

Dixie looked at Mandy and said, "I think the woman sitting next to you knows exactly what happened." Turning to Mandy, she said, "Spill it, girl."

"I wish I could, Dixie. Let's just say I had my suspicions from something Brenna had said to me but I wasn't sure if my suspicions were correct."

"Mandy, are you saying that you knew those two had met before?" asked Marco as he looked at his girlfriend in disbelief.

"Honey, I said that I had my suspicions. Brenna told me something in confidence and I decided to test those suspicions. I can't say any more than that because I don't know any more than what we all saw tonight."

As Johnny and Brenna's friends tried to make heads or tails of what they had all just seen, the couple were standing in the parking lot by Johnny's car still holding onto each other as if the world was going to rip them apart again. Johnny again looked down at the woman he held in his arms still trying to wrap his thoughts around his good luck in finding her once again. He just didn't want to let her go.

Brenna could feel her feet moving but had no clue about where they were leading her until she felt them come to a stop and felt Johnny's arm tighten around her again. She took the chance and glanced around to see where she was. She was surprised to find herself in the parking lot standing next a vehicle that was not hers. She looked up to find Johnny staring down at her with a smile on his face. He leaned down to capture her lips with his and deepened the kiss until once again she had to grab onto him to keep from falling.

Breaking off the kiss, Johnny looked at Brenna and asked, "Bree, will you come back to my home with me?"

"Please take me home with you, Johnny. I don't know if I really want to be by myself tonight," cried Brenna as she bowed her head down afraid to look into his eyes.

"Sweetheart, don't be afraid to look at me. I told you once before, I will always be here for you."

Johnny opened the door to his Jeep and helped Brenna inside. He got into the driver's seat and started up the vehicle. As they pulled out of the driveway, they failed to notice a dark-colored vehicle pulling out behind them, keeping a distance far enough to not be noticed as suspicious.

He held her hand as he drove through the streets of Long Beach heading to his apartment on Westwood Palms in Los Angeles. Absentmindedly, he caressed the back of her hand with his thumb as if to prove she was still there. He stole a quick glance at Brenna and could see she was deep in thought herself. As if she could read his thoughts, she peeked up and smiled at him, tightening her grip on his hand.

Parking the Jeep in his assigned spot, Johnny turned off the vehicle, just sitting there in silence.

"Come on, sweetheart. Let's get inside. I think we've some talking to do and I don't aim to do it here in my car."

He got out and went around the vehicle to help Brenna out of her side. As he took her hand, he turned it palm up and lightly kissed it. He felt the shiver that ran through her and she locked her gaze on him, he saw the same desire he was feeling. Shutting the car door, he tucked her hand into the crook of his arm and led her to his apartment.

In the shadows across the street inside the vehicle that been following them sat someone intently watching the young couple entering the building. The lone occupant of the vehicle got out and checked the license plate on Johnny's Jeep and then checked to see which apartment number was his. Finally, he knew who the guy was that had ruined his Bree. He sat in his car for a long time before he took off. He needed to take his time and learn this guy's habits before he took action.

Johnny unlocked the door to his apartment and opened it allowing to Brenna to step in ahead of him. He closed the door and locked it, hoping she would feel safe here. He reached over to turn on the lamp he had on the table next to his couch. Next, he closed the curtains and turned to look at Brenna. She stood in the middle of his living room uncertain of what to do next. In two strides, Johnny was standing in front of Brenna, taking her back into his arms and pulling her close.

He felt her take a deep breath and relax as she felt his arms close about her. He couldn't understand what had her so nervous. As he stood there and held her close, Brenna knew she needed to talk to him before it went any further. Straightening up, she pushed back a bit in his arms so she could look up into his face.

"Johnny, I really think we need to talk," said Brenna.

"I know, but I am afraid if I let go of you, you might disappear again," replied Johnny chuckling as he said this.

"No chance of that ever happening again. I am through with hiding, but what I need to talk to you about just might have you changing your mind about me," she said as she sat down on his couch, curling her legs up underneath her as she got comfortable.

"Okay, girl, now you have my curiosity totally and thoroughly peaked. But before we get into this conversation, can I offer you anything to drink?"

She smiled as she looked up at him. "A glass of white wine would be nice, but if I remember correctly, Johnny, that is the one thing you said you never keep in your fridge." As she completed the sentence, Johnny turned from his fridge and held up a bottle of wine that he had kept there since the last time she was with him.

Johnny came back with the bottle of wine and glass for her with a beer for himself. He pulled the cork from the wine bottle and poured her a glass. Sitting down, he waited for her to begin again with what she wanted to tell him.

"Johnny, what exactly do you remember about the first time we met, December 28, 1974?" she asked him.

"I mostly remember that you were looking quite beautiful sitting there at that sidewalk bistro and how I wished I could meet you. Why?"

"Just curious," replied Brenna.

Johnny chuckled as he remembered exactly what happened on that Saturday. She had been sitting by herself outside at a bistro in Santa Monica and a couple of young university students had come up bugging her about her resemblance to country superstar, Bree Montgomery. From where he was standing, he could tell she was getting annoyed with these youngsters and took it upon himself to 'rescue' her.

He had walked up to her, apologized for being late and gave her one hell of a kiss that not only chased off the two young boys but just brought him to his knees. He could tell that she was very much affected by the kiss as he was. But what he remembered the most was the three days they spent together in a tent in the San Gabriel Mountains with no outside distractions to intrude upon their time.

Brenna watched the expressions on his face change and knew he lied when he said he didn't remember much about the first time they met. She decided to break into his musings and surprise him.

"I thought you didn't remember anything." He jumped when he realized she was watching him and hadn't been fooled by what he said.

"Oh, I remember, Bree, a lot. I remember those two boys bothering you, the first kiss which took you by surprise but got them to leave. What I remember most was the three days I spent with you."

Brenna blushed as she remembered those three days too. "I'd be a fool if I had forgotten those three days, Johnny. For the first time in a long time, I was having fun."

"You never did talk about what had bothered you while you were with me," said Johnny. "Is that what you want to talk about now?"

"That's part of the reason I came back." She paused long enough to take a sip of wine and then continued, "At the time we met, there was so much going on in my life and I just didn't know where to turn. I finally had enough and decided I needed time for myself."

"Good thing I found you then, huh?"

"Yes, it was," replied Bree with a smile on her face. "You provided me with the escape I needed and those three days we had together were memorable. In the time I've been gone, Johnny, those days have helped me get through what otherwise would have driven a lesser person crazy."

Johnny leaned over, giving Brenna a kiss. "I count those three days among some of the most memorable of my life, Bree. I just wish you could've stayed longer."

"So do I, Johnny, so do I. I'm so sorry for the way I left that night. I found myself falling in love with you, which made it even that much harder to say goodbye, knowing I was leaving that night and not knowing if I'd ever be back. I just couldn't say goodbye, so when that fight broke out, I ran." As she finished her sentence, Brenna broke down and began to cry.

Johnny quickly slid over and gathered her in his arms. He could feel the tears in his eyes as he knew how she felt.

Brenna couldn't help how she was feeling. She was back in his arms and wanted to feel his love once again. She leaned back and took his face in her hands, pulling him down for a long, thorough kiss. Even though it took him by surprise, Johnny let himself be carried away by the passion in her kiss.

She reached for his shirt and slowly began to unbutton it, all the while never breaking off her kiss. As she pulled his shirt out of the waistband of his pants, Johnny broke the kiss just long enough to get up off the couch to pick up Brenna in his arms and carry her into the bedroom. He placed her in the middle of the bed standing back to remove his shirt before he kneeled down on the bed beside her. Johnny pulled Bree up onto her knees and towards him to continue their kiss. As his arms reached around behind her, he slowly untied the knot of her halter top in the middle of her back, slipping it over her head and dropping it on the floor. He could feel the shivers course through her body as he placed a kiss on her neck.

Looking into her eyes as he went to stand up, he felt her hands on his waist. She cocked her head to one side, glancing up at him with a half-smile as she reached for his belt. He closed his eyes as she slowly caressed him, feeling like he was going to crazy with the pleasure she was invoking.

When he couldn't take it anymore, he reached for her but she eluded him. He opened his eyes to see where she was and found her standing next to him, sliding out of her jeans. When she stood before him, it took his breath away. He opened his arms to her and she stepped into his embrace.

As Johnny went to lie down next to Bree, he began to kiss her nearly senseless. Her head reeled as he began a trail of kisses down her neck, across her chest. He smiled as he felt her response to his caress. He raised himself over her, looking into her eyes, questioning if this is what she really wanted to do. Brenna reached up and drew Johnny even closer to her, kissing his neck and chest, as she arched her back and hips, showing him with her actions just what she requested of him. Soon the rhythm of love took over, sending them to heights neither had ever reached before. As they slowly came back to earth, Johnny tightened his arms around Bree as she reached to pull the covers over them both. Before he succumbed to sleep, Johnny realized she never did tell him what brought her back to him.

Bree awoke with a start, feeling a bit disoriented. The room was dark so she knew it was still in the early hours of the morning. It took her only a few minutes to realize just where she was at and who was lying on the bed beside her. She smiled softly to herself as she leaned over him and brushed the hair from his eyes. The thought of waking him up entered her mind but she decided to let him sleep. Quietly she slipped from the bed, leaning down to grab his shirt from the floor and softly shut the door behind her.

Walking into his kitchen without turning the light on, she grabbed a glass from the cupboard and filled it with water from the tap. Bree then walked over to the window and opened the curtains just far enough so she could watch the sleeping neighborhood outside. She had always found this time of the night the most peaceful and often would be up for an hour or two doing her best work with no distractions.

While Bree was watching the world outside the apartment complex slowly come to life, Johnny rolled over and was sleepily trying to find the woman he had just spent the night with. His hand roamed around the other side of the bed before his sleep-fogged brain allowed him to realize that she was not there. He quickly sat up in bed thinking that she had left him again without warning. As he tried not to panic, Johnny grabbed his jeans and quickly put them on. He opened the door to his bedroom and as he headed down the hallway, he saw her…standing in front of the window with his shirt on and a glass in her hand. He could tell she was deep in thought but didn't want to scare her so he softly cleared his throat.

Bree jumped a bit when she heard the noise and when she turned she couldn't help but smile as she saw the object of her thoughts standing in the hallway. He quickly walked up behind her and put his arms around her, pulling her back against his chest.

"You scared me, Bree. When I realized you weren't in bed, I thought you left again," said Johnny as he kissed the top of her head. "Why didn't you wake me?"

"I thought about it but you looked so peaceful sleeping there that I just couldn't do it. I'm sorry you thought I took off when you woke up," replied Bree as she relaxed against him. "Sometimes if I wake up early, I just like to watch the world outside as I find it peaceful, no hustle and bustle, no yelling, just nice and quiet. I find I can do my best thinking at this hour."

Johnny chuckled and hugged her closer. "You know, you never did tell me what you wanted to talk to me about last night, what the reason was for you returning."

"I know. I kind of distracted myself with you. All I could think about was being with you again, of feeling that connection again that we had back then. It was probably not the thing to do at the time but it felt right."

"It sure felt right to me and believe me when I say that I was a very willing participant," he said as he turned her around to face him and smiled at her. "But why don't we just go back to bed and sleep a little longer while we can."

As she leaned against Johnny's chest, she felt the contentment that she had been missing during the past fourteen months. Not able to find the words she wanted to say, she just nodded her agreement with Johnny and let him take her by the hand, leading her back to his bedroom. She looked up at Johnny smiling softly as she slowly unbuttoned his shirt, shrugging one shoulder causing it to slide of her shoulder and down her arm. He grinned back at her as he slid his jeans off his hips, stopping long enough to pick her up and tossed her onto the bed.

She giggled as she bounced twice before he caught her, wrapping her legs around his waist to keep him close to her. He in turn captured her lips with his, feeling her passionate response. Slowly they moved in unison, sharing with each other the love neither could express in words. Bree grabbed Johnny's hand as she gazed into his eyes, seeing the passion in them as together they went over that edge into oblivion. Sleep overtook them quickly with their arms still wrapped around each other.

Roy was beginning to worry about his partner. He knocked for the third time on Johnny's door and wondered why his friend was not answering. Johnny had asked him to come over Sunday morning if he was able to and they were going to go out to his ranch to put some finishing touches on his home. When no one answered the door after the third knock, Roy used the key Johnny gave to him to let himself in.

As he entered the apartment, the first thing he noticed was the silence. It was 11 a.m. and Johnny wasn't even out of bed yet. That's unusual for him, thought Roy. Thinking he'd scare the hell out of his partner and make him pay for not being up, Roy quietly snuck down the hallway to Johnny's bedroom. Seeing that the door was closed, he knew what his plan of attack was going to be. He grabbed the doorknob and pounded on the door as hard as he could before he flung the door open. What greeted him just about stopped his heart…blankets flying through the air and what he thought was a shapely bare leg disappearing beneath them.

Roy quickly backed out of the bedroom and shut the door behind him. He did a quick about-face and walked back into the living area, not sure if he should start laughing at the expression on Johnny's face or die from mortification for walking in on him. He could hear very feminine laughter coming from the bedroom and chuckled out loud as from what he could tell, she was finding the humor in this situation.

About five minutes later, Johnny walked into the living room wearing jeans and a t-shirt glancing over at his partner and best friend who was not only very red in the face, but was trying not to laugh out loud and pretty much failing at it. When Roy finally looked Johnny in the eye, neither one of them could hold it back. Roy plopped on the couch holding onto his stomach, laughing hard. Johnny slid into his recliner, laughing just as hard.

"If you could have seen the look on your face, Roy, it was priceless!" chuckled Johnny.

"The look on my face! You should have seen the look on your face. I thought for a minute you were going to come after me in all your glory," replied Roy between gasps for breath.

"I wanted to, but Brenna wouldn't let go of me. She was afraid that I was really going to hurt you." He smiled inwardly as he remembered the other reason why she wouldn't let go of him.

Roy was still laughing hard when the name of the woman who was in Johnny's room at this moment sunk in. He looked at Johnny and said, "That name is familiar. Who is she?"

"She's the girl who Mandy wanted me to meet last night," said Johnny with a grin on his face. "The reason the name is familiar is because you've met her before…New Year's Eve 1974 in Santa Monica. And you better believe me when I say I thought I was seeing a ghost at first and so did she."

"She's a friend of Mandy's?" asked Roy. "She's back in town for how long then?"

"Actually I think she said they were cousins but I'm not sure. Bree said she is back permanently. She has a home in Torrance and you won't believe this, Roy, she works at Rampart," replied Johnny as he watched the expression on Roy's face and knew something wasn't sitting right with his friend. "She's been working there for the past month and a half and I didn't even know it."

"Works at Rampart? And you missed running into her? Junior, you are slipping if you totally missed her there."

As the guys kept intermittently laughing while discussing their Saturday nights, Brenna slipped out of Johnny's bed and picked his shirt up off the floor. She knew it would be decent enough to cover her down to her knees. She hoped Johnny wouldn't mind her using his shirt again as she really didn't want to get dressed in what she wore last night.

Quietly she opened the door, hoping to sneak out to the bathroom. While she debated leaving the room, she heard Roy question Johnny about how he felt about her being back in town. She could tell Roy was skeptical about her return and its effect on Johnny as his next statement proved it.

"Are you sure you can trust her, Johnny? I mean the one and only time you spent with her you fell hard and she ditched you like yesterday's news without a backwards glance."

Johnny couldn't believe what he was hearing Roy say. "I know I can trust her, Roy. She wouldn't do anything to hurt me intentionally."

"Right, Junior," replied Roy with just a hint of sarcasm. "Then how come you were a bear for almost three months after she disappeared? You damn near bit the head off anyone who came near you and had the misfortune to ask what was bothering you. And you just about picked a fist fight with Chet at work when he innocently asked what girl got your goat this time. Want me to continue?"

He ran his fingers through his unruly hair and replied, "Roy, there is nothing innocent about Chet when he asks you something. And no, you don't need to continue. I was hard to live with and I know it was because she left without saying goodbye and never tried contacting me afterwards, but I believe there is more to her story that we don't know and I'm going to give her the benefit of the doubt."

Brenna listened to Roy remind Johnny of how he was after she had disappeared and knew she was going to have to eventually face his best friend. She wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes, put a smile on her face as she opened the door the rest of the way and stepped out into the hallway.

Johnny lifted his head as he heard something and made a motion to Roy to stop the conversation. He thought it was his bedroom door and knew that Brenna was coming out. Roy looked up to see a very beautiful but disheveled young woman walking down the hallway in one of Johnny's shirts and he could tell that she'd been crying. He looked over at Johnny and tipped his head in the direction she was coming from, letting Johnny know in silent communication that all was not right with the young woman.

As she approached the guys, Johnny turned his head to see her tentatively walking towards them. He could see she'd been crying and knew that she had heard what they had been discussing. He stood up, taking her hand and leading her to the chair he had just vacated.

Looking at Brenna's tear-stained face Roy began to speak, "Brenna, I am so sorry that you heard…."

Brenna interrupted him, saying, "Please don't feel that you need to apologize, Roy. You've nothing to apologize for. You were speaking out of concern for your friend and how I treated him when I left. If anyone should be apologizing, it should be me."

"Bree, you don't need to apologize," replied Johnny.

"No, I do. Like I told you last night, Johnny, I couldn't say goodbye to you. But that doesn't excuse me taking off like I did. No explanation, no nothing. It wasn't right," she said. "I think it is time I let you both in on the reason I came to California again and why I was here the first time."

As she sat down in the chair that Johnny vacated for her, she thought of how she was going to break the news to these two who she was and what she really did for a living. Johnny brought her a glass of water and handed one to Roy before he sat down and waited for her to tell her story

"Do either of you remember a young woman who came onto the country music scene around 1970?" Both guys shook their heads negatively and wondered what direction this story was going to take. She smiled at their confusion and continued with her story.

"Her name was Bree Montgomery and she was 17 years old. She took the country music scene by storm with her combination of country and rock," said Brenna.

Johnny looked at Brenna as comprehension began to dawn on him just who she really was. He looked over at Roy who was still confused about what she was talking about and trying to keep up.

"Bree, are you telling me…" Johnny started to say

"Yes, I am, Johnny. My true name is Brenna Elizabeth Leigh Montgomery. I am also known as Bree Montgomery, country rock singer." She stopped her story there to let the information she just imparted to the guys to sink in. She watched the conflicting emotions run across Johnny's face and began to worry that he'd reject her for not telling him the truth about who she was when they first met.

Johnny finally spoke up, "Bree, you should've known that you could trust me."

"I wish I had, Johnny, I really wish I had. But there was so much chaos in my life when I first met you and you really didn't know who I was. It was so nice being known just as Brenna Leigh, newly graduated college student and looking for work," replied Brenna as she smiled at Johnny.

What she said finally sunk in for Roy. He looked at her and said, "You really are the missing country rock star, Bree Montgomery?"

"Guilty as charged, Roy."

He shook his head in disbelief all the time looking at Johnny and wondering what was going through his mind. "Joanne's not going to believe this," he said. "At first I didn't recall ever knowing who you were, but now that I think about it, Joanne listened to a few of your albums, especially your first one. It got played a lot to the point of her warping it."

While Roy and Brenna talked about music in general, Johnny sat and stared at Brenna. He couldn't believe that she would keep such a secret from him. But then again, he thought, they'd only known each other for a few days. There would've been no reason for her to tell him who she really was or what she did for a living. He'd just assumed that she was a college student in town for her Christmas break.

Johnny was so deep in thought that he hadn't realized the woman whom he was in love with (although hadn't admitted it yet) and his best friend had stopped talking and both were looking at him. At one point, Roy waved his hand in front of Johnny's face and Johnny hadn't even blinked. Roy glanced over at Brenna and she shrugged her shoulders as she had no idea what was on his mind. As she leaned over to get his attention, he surprised her by jumping to his feet. Quickly she pulled her hand back and let him go. She looked over at Roy who shook his head at her, letting her know that he knew what his friend was thinking and she didn't need to worry.

They watched as Johnny paced back and forth across the living room floor, wondering what was going through his mind. Johnny knew that Brenna had no reason to confide her secret to him but at the same time he felt as though what they had shared in those three days was a lie. He didn't know if she really cared for him or if that had been a lie too. Brenna watched the conflicting emotions run across Johnny's face and knew he was fighting his own doubts within his mind. She decided to take it upon herself and interrupt the argument he was having with himself.

Standing up, she reached out towards Johnny to bring him to a stop. As he looked down at her, she smiled in reassurance that things would be alright.

"Johnny, I can only imagine what you are thinking now. Just know this, I didn't lie about how I felt during those three days we spent together. You made me feel cherished and…"

Johnny grabbed Brenna and pulled her to him. He placed his hands on either side of her face and kissed her deeply forgetting that Roy was still in the room. Releasing her from the kiss, he said, "Bree, I know that you did what you felt was right at the time and I've no doubt your feelings were and are still genuine. The only issue I'm trying to deal with is the trust. And it has nothing to do with you, it's with me."

The couple softly talked to each other, totally oblivious to Roy who was still sitting on the couch. Roy chuckled silently as he watched the two discuss issues with trust and telling the truth. He could tell how much they cared about each other even after being apart for more than a year. He tried to keep his attention elsewhere but after ten minutes he finally decided to interrupt the couple and bring up the reason he had come to Johnny's apartment in the first place.

Clearing his throat, Roy smiled as the startled couple pulled apart. Brenna had a faint blush on her cheeks and Johnny was displaying his infamous lopsided grin.

"Sorry, Roy, I guess we kind of forgot that you were still here," said Johnny.

"Don't worry about it, Junior. I can understand why you forgot about me," replied Roy. "But I thought I'd better bring up the reason I came to your apartment in the first place."

"You know, I never even thought about that. But why are you here?" asked Johnny.

"You invited me, remember," said Roy. "You asked if I'd be able to help you on Sunday and I told you that if Joanne's family left early that I'd be over Sunday morning to ride with you to the ranch."

"Ranch?" questioned Brenna. "What ranch are you talking about?"

Both Johnny and Roy chuckled before Johnny answered her question. "Six months after you left, I had the opportunity to purchase a ranch near the San Gabriel Mountains. I'm just about finished with the updates." He turned to Roy and then back to Brenna and asked her, "Would you like to go see the ranch?"

"Yes!" she cried. "I'd love to see what you purchased and what you've done with it."

"What do ya think, Roy? Should we head out to the ranch?" asked Johnny.

Roy laughed and replied, "Yes, we should." Roy looked at the clock and said, "And we should do it soon as it's almost 1 o'clock in the afternoon and Joanne said that if her sister left by noon, she and the kids would meet us out there as soon as she could get them ready."

Brenna and Johnny whipped their heads around to look at Roy and then up at the clock on the wall. Brenna glanced over at Johnny and ran for his bedroom to get dressed. As she ran around the room looking for all of her clothing items, she chuckled to herself as she thought about how things had turned out and hoped that once Johnny learned the rest of her secrets he'd still want her to be a part of his life.

She opened the door to the bedroom just a crack and shouted down the hall. "Johnny, I can't wear a halter top to the ranch. Can I steal one of your t-shirts?"

Johnny laughed as he looked at Roy and replied, "Go for it. Middle drawer of the tall dresser is where you'll find them."

"Junior, you're going to lose all your clothing if you let her rummage through them now," laughed Roy as he looked at Johnny. "You're going to find her wearing more and more of your shirts. Believe me, she makes your shirts look a lot better than you do and if you tell Joanne that, I'll deny it."

Shortly she came out of the bedroom, smiling as the guys chuckled when they saw the t-shirt she had picked out. The shirt was one that had been sold on her tour in 1973 and given to Johnny as a joke by Chet. She joined in their laughter as they headed out the door and jumped into Johnny's Jeep.

All the way out to the ranch, Roy and Johnny regaled Bree with stories of their partnership and friendship. They talked about the guys that they worked with at the station and some of the situations they found themselves in. Bree realized that these two were closer than brothers and there was nothing they would do for each other. Roy also filled her in on his wife, Joanne, and their two children, Chris who was 7 going on 8, and Jennifer, a very precocious 3½-year-old. Meeting Roy's wife and children had Bree nervous. She only met Joanne the one time on New Year's Eve and she was not sure how she would feel about her being back in Johnny's life, knowing how close they all were.

It took forty-five minutes to get from Johnny's apartment to the ranch and when he turned down the lane, Bree could feel her breath being taken away as all she saw at first were the San Gabriel Mountains in the background. When she finally saw the house, she was almost in tears. The house Johnny had purchased was the one that belonged to her grandparents when they first moved to California back in 1935. She remembered as a child playing in the backyard that faced the mountains, riding their horses through the trails that she knew was behind the barn. Brenna was having a hard time keeping her tears in check. Roy could see she was swallowing hard and knew that something wasn't right with the blonde.

As Johnny brought the Jeep to a stop, Roy nudged the back of Johnny's seat to alert him to Brenna's difficulty. Johnny turned to see what Roy wanted when he noticed Bree and the tears in her eyes. Roy got out of the car to give the couple some privacy, but also because he has noticed his wife's car turning down the road into the ranch.

"Bree, honey, what's wrong?" he asked as he looked at her with concern in his eyes.

She looked at him as one tear slid down her cheek, followed by another. She didn't know where to begin with the story. She smiled through the tears in her eyes and said, "Let's just say this place took me by surprise. The house is perfect, Johnny, in more ways than you can imagine." She turned in the seat and looked at him. "I know this house…it had belonged to my grandparents before I was born and I used to spend summers out here as a child."

While Johnny sat in stunned silence looking at Brenna, Roy was walking back to his wife's car. Joanne smiled when she saw her husband get out of Johnny's vehicle but was wondering why they were just arriving. She shushed the kids in the backseat as they shouted they wanted out to see their dad and their 'Uncle Johnny'.

Stepping out the car, Jo reached up to kiss her husband. "What's going on, Roy? I figured you two would have been out here for at least the last two hours working on the house. I was surprised to see you pulling into the driveway not too far ahead of me."

"It's a long story, Jo, and one you're not going to believe," said Roy as he leaned into the car to speak to the kids. "Hi kids. You come to help me and Johnny on his house?"

"Roy, you're not going to change the subject. What is the story and what am I not going to believe?"

Just as Joanne asked her husband that question, she noticed Johnny helping a petite blonde out of his Jeep and turned to Roy with the very same question in her eyes.

"Who is the blonde?" asked Joanne.

"Do you remember that New Year's Eve at the Santa Monica Pier in 1974 when Chris was 6?"

"Yeah, Johnny showed up with a really pretty blonde…" Joanne began the sentence and then comprehension dawned on her as she realized what Roy hinted to. She looked back at Johnny and the young woman still standing by the Jeep and noticed Johnny was very protective of the young woman. Turning back to look at her husband, she asked, "That's her, isn't it?"

"Yes, Jo, it's Brenna. She's back in town and working at Rampart," replied Roy. He knew Joanne was going to have a hard time with this as she saw firsthand how Johnny was after Brenna disappeared. She had sadly watched him date one woman after another trying to forget the petite blonde. Then she became angry at the blonde as Johnny let anger become a major part of his attitude.

"How can he let her back in?" cried Joanne. "I don't understand him. He was devastated when she disappeared, never calling him or writing him. How can he let her back into his life?"

"Jo, there's so much more to this than meets the eye. We both knew that they had met before when he introduced her to us. Nothing has changed. Believe me, I'm just as surprised about this as you are and I have my doubts, but right now this is what Johnny wants," he said to his wife. "I know it's going to be hard but we have to give her the benefit of the doubt…"

"I don't know if I can give her the benefit of the doubt, Roy. She almost destroyed him when she disappeared."

Roy looked over at Johnny and Brenna and knew that Johnny was worried about Jo's reaction to seeing Brenna again. Chris and Jennifer were clamoring to get out of the car to go see their uncle. Joanne turned and told them to go ahead. The kids made a mad scramble to get out and catch up with their uncle.

As he watched his kids run to Johnny, he turned to his wife and asked, "Jo, I'm going to tell you something in confidence and I don't want you repeating it to anyone. Can you do that for me?"

"Why do I get the feeling I am not going to like this?" she asked.

"Honey, it's not what you think. But that young woman is someone you've always liked," he said as he paused before continuing on. "Her real name is Bree Montgomery…"

As Joanne looked at Roy in total surprise, Brenna was warily watching them wondering how Joanne was going to react to seeing her again with Johnny. She knew from what Roy had told her that Joanne took it very hard as she saw firsthand the affects her disappearance had on Johnny. She knew that the lovely brunette viewed her husband's partner as a brother and felt protective of him when it came to how the women in his life treated him.

Johnny reached out and put his arm around Bree as the kids came running towards them. He knew she was nervous about meeting Joanne after Roy accidentally let it slip about what happened after Bree disappeared. He looked at her and couldn't resist kissing the end of her nose. She glanced up at him with what he first thought was confusion in her eyes but he quickly realized she truly was terrified at how Joanne would react to her being back.

"Bree, honey, come on," he said. "It's going to be alright. Joanne's not the type of person to hold grudges. It might take a bit of time for her to warm back up to you but she will not treat you like a pariah."

Johnny would have said something more but the kids caught up with him and Jennifer came running at him to be lifted up in a bear hug, which was their usual greeting when he came to their house for a visit. Bree took the opportunity to slip inside the house and try to calm her nerves.

Stepping back into this house brought back a lot of memories. She smiled as she noticed the subtle changes that Johnny had made to the house. He updated the color scheme but kept a neutral theme. As she walked through the house letting her memories run loose, the rest of the group were standing in the front yard.

"Where is she, Johnny?" asked Joanne.

"I think she went inside the house," he replied. "She's pretty nervous about meeting you, Jo."

"Nervous about meeting me…why?" she asked in return.

Roy figured he'd better help Johnny on this one. "Because I kind of opened my mouth and mentioned what Johnny was like after she had disappeared and how upset you were with her."

"Oh dear God, Roy, you didn't" cried Joanne. "She must think I really and truly hate her." Joanne turned to Johnny and said, "Is she really that nervous, Johnny?"

"Yes, Jo, she is. I think the whole time she was gone she has been beating herself up for the way she left and neither Roy nor I helped ease her fears."

Joanne looked at the two men before her and shook her head in disbelief. Yes, she had been quite upset with the young woman for what happened after she disappeared but she could never hate her. Jo knew she would have to tread softly as not to scare off this young woman because from the look on Johnny's face, this girl really means a lot to him and probably more than even he knew.

Telling the guys to keep an eye on the kids, Joanne walked into the house to find Bree. She wanted to have a heart-to-heart with this young woman, partly to clear the air and partly to find out what her plans were. She didn't have to go far to find Bree. As she entered into the wide foyer, she noticed her standing at the doors to the patio staring out towards the mountains. She walked up beside her and when Bree turned her head to acknowledge her presence, she smiled.

"I think you and I need to have long talk…Bree Montgomery," said Joanne. "It seems there are a few misconceptions about how I feel about you."

Bree swallowed uneasily and replied, "So Roy told you who I really am. I do agree we need to talk. If you really want to know the truth, I am not sure how you feel about me."

As the two women walked out to the patio, Chris and Jennifer came running around the corner. Joanne rolled her eyes as she realized the guys had already lost track of the kids. Jennifer came to a short stop in front of her mother and stared right at Bree. Joanne knew her youngest would be curious about who this person was and turned to introduce her to Bree

"Bree, I'd like you to meet my daughter, Jennifer," said Joanne as she turned to Chris. "And this young man is my son, Chris. Kids, I'd like you to meet Bree. She's an old friend of Johnny's."

Jennifer smiled shyly at Bree and hid her face in her mother's leg. Chris just stared at the young woman standing next to his mother. He shrugged his shoulder and headed to the barn. Bree knelt on the patio so she would be eye level with Jennifer and said hi. Jennifer peaked at Bree and giggled, letting go of her mother's leg and giving Bree a kiss on the cheek before going to catch up with her brother. Bree sat back on her heels, puzzled by that turn of events.

"She likes you," said Joanne. "She'll only do that to people that she feels she can trust."

Bree looked at Joanne as she got back up on her feet, smiled and said, "She is sweet. I guess the next question is, do you feel you can trust me?"

"You don't beat around the bush, do you? You go straight to the heart of things."

Bree sat down on the double lounger on the patio and gestured for Joanne to join her. "I don't believe in whitewashing a difficult situation. It's best to get it out in the open for discussion. I will admit I was nervous about meeting you after hearing Roy talk to Johnny about how things were after I 'left'."

"It wasn't easy, believe me. For the first month, Johnny hoped you would write or call, and when you didn't, then the anger and the attitude took over."

"Joanne, I never meant to hurt him. Like I had told him last night, I just couldn't say goodbye," replied Bree as she stared up at the mountains. "I found myself falling in love and knowing I had to leave the very next day made that knowledge even harder to accept. I've never in my whole life felt so torn as I did that night."

She turned to look at Joanne with tears in her eyes. Joanne knew that there was so much more to this relationship than Johnny had shared with them back then. She could see the pain in Bree's eyes and knew that this young woman truly felt remorse for what happened.

"Why didn't you try to contact him, write or call?" asked Joanne. "All he wanted to know was that you were alright. After the fight on the pier was under control, he was frantic trying to find you."

"You don't know how many times I wanted to pick up the phone to call information to get his number and address. Or how many times I started writing a letter that would more than likely never get mailed," said Bree as she watched Chris and Jennifer run out of the barn toward the play area set up in the backyard.

"What stopped you, Bree? What it is that kept you from making that call or writing that letter?"

Bree looked out towards the mountains before she looked back at Joanne and answered her question. "I couldn't contact him because I had suffered a breakdown of sorts." She could see the question in Joanne's eyes and chuckled before she continued with her answer. "No, I was not hospitalized for this breakdown but I did go far away for my recuperation."

Joanne couldn't believe when she heard Bree say she'd suffered some type of breakdown after she left Johnny. She found it hard to wrap her thoughts around that fact when she realized Bree was waiting to continue. So she had to ask, "What do you mean 'a breakdown of sorts'? Do you have some type of medical condition?"

"No. At the time I met Johnny, I was taking some time for myself to try to relax after there had been a some unfortunate events happen in my life. After I left, the stress finally took its toll on me," said Bree as she turned to face Joanne so it would be easier to talk to her.

Joanne had a feeling this was going to be one heck of a story by the time Bree was done with the telling of it.

Bree smiled as she knew Joanne was making an effort to get to know who she was and she seemed truly interested in her story, but she really wanted Johnny to hear it before anyone else.

"I'd love to continue telling my story to you, Joanne, but I feel Johnny should really be the one to hear it first."

Joanne looked at Bree and silently agreed that Johnny should be the first to be told. She smiled and with her hand nearest to Bree, she pointed to the window just off to the right of where they were sitting to indicate that she knew the guys were right beyond the window in the kitchen. Bree chuckled at what Joanne was silently telling her and spoke up.

"You know, guys, you can come out and join us if you'd like. It'd probably be easier to hear me," Bree stated loud enough for them to hear her.

Johnny and Roy looked at each other and laughed as they realized they had been found out. Grabbing some drinks from the fridge, the two headed out the patio. Roy noticed that Joanne had vacated the double lounger and was trying to pull two chairs over closer. He quickly handed the drinks to Johnny and went to help her.

Just as Bree was going to continue with her story, Jennifer came running up to her mommy crying as she had scraped her knee when she fell off the swing. Between gasps for air, she got it out that she was trying to be like her big brother and jump off the swing before it came to a stop.

Joanne picked up Jennifer to take her inside to clean up her knee. Before she walked through the door, she told Bree not to start without her, that she'd be right back. Roy finished moving the chairs over and sat down as Johnny handed him his beer and placed Joanne's iced tea on the table between the lounger and the chairs.

"Hey, sweetheart, how are you doin'?" he asked innocently as he sat down and put his arm on the back of the seat behind her.

Bree wasn't fooled, but she smiled inwardly as she knew what he was up to, trying to keep her comfortable. Joanne and Jennifer came back out of the house a short time later and Jennifer went to join her brother back on the swing set with a warning not to try to jump off the moving swing again.

Waiting for Joanne to sit down, Bree snuggled up against Johnny and felt his arm move from the back of the seat to her shoulders. Joanne sat down next to her husband while Roy looked over at his friend who seemed to be thoroughly enjoying having his arm around Bree.

Joanne looked at Bree with concern in her eyes and asked, "What happened in your life that would wreak such havoc to cause a breakdown of sorts?"

"There were many things. The first one was an admirer who thought I was his and only his. He viewed anyone who tried to hurt me or cause me pain as a threat. It started out innocently enough. I'd find flowers or small gifts left in my dressing room at some of the venues we played at, nothing extravagant…tulips or carnations, a teddy bear. But as the tour went on, the flowers turned into roses and then purple orchids and the gifts became more personal."

Bree shuddered as she thought of a couple of the gifts that had been left…a black see-through nightgown, a diamond bracelet. She felt Johnny pull her closer to him in a hug to let her know he was there. She glanced up at him through her eyelashes and smiled. Johnny felt his heart contract, not knowing why it did so.

"What happened next changed everything. We were playing at a small county fair and just before we were to go on stage, the weather took a drastic turn for the worse and everyone was advised to take cover immediately. When the all-clear was given, we immediately began to help with the clean-up effort. We were lucky… only minor damage was done to our equipment, but the stage roof took a beating so the concert was cancelled."

Johnny said to Bree, "You were lucky no one was hurt."

"Yes, but it wasn't over. I was feeling tired and dirty so I was heading back to my bus to clean up. Just before I stepped on my bus, I felt someone grab me from behind, putting their hand over my mouth…"

Joanne gasped out loud, covering her mouth with her own hand as she felt Roy grab her other hand. Johnny blanched white as his imagination went wild.

"He was trying to drag me into the trees behind where my bus had been parked and while he was trying to do that, he kept saying in my ear, 'You shouldn't be here. You could've been hurt. If you had been with me, you'd have been safe.' He wasn't paying attention to his surroundings so when the opportunity arose, I took it. His hand slipped when he tripped over the root of a tree. I screamed, shoving my elbow into his abdomen and ran when his grip on me loosened."

Bree stood up to stretch and walked over to the edge of the patio. Leaning against the support column, she continued her story.

"By the time I got out of the tree grove, my grandfather, my father and three of my road crew were running in the direction my scream came from. My father grabbed me and took me back to the bus while the others went in the direction I pointed to look for my assailant. I had calmed down by the time they came back but he had gotten away."

"Bree?" asked Joanne. "Didn't any of you think that it might be this person who was sending the gifts and flowers?"

"Yes, we did but at the time, my father was more concerned with reporting the attempted abduction," stated Bree as she continued with her story. "I didn't want it reported…."

"Didn't want it reported?!" said Johnny. "Bree, are you kidding me? How could not want to report it. God only knows what he could've done to you once he got you away from there."

Bree looked at Johnny with tears in her eyes. Joanne reached over and placed her hand on his arm, hoping to get his attention before he said anything more. As he looked down at the hand on his arm and over to the person it belonged to, he saw the silent message in her eyes as she tipped her head towards Bree. It shocked him when he saw the look on Bree's face…she looked scared.

"Bree," said Johnny as he walked towards her. "I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have shouted like that."

She watched as he walked towards her. She put her hand out as if to stop him before he reached her.

"Johnny, please don't come any closer. Let me finish this," she replied.

Johnny turned back to Joanne and Roy, his expression saying it all. He sat back down on the patio couch he had just vacated. He felt terrible about shouting at Bree, mentally beating himself up for doing it. Joanne knew exactly what he was thinking and reached over to let him know they were there for him.

"I didn't want to report it as there was a local TV crew there and I didn't want it to make the news. It would have become tabloid fodder after that. My father located the sheriff and after we told him what happened, he said he'd keep an eye out for any suspicious behavior and that he'd do his best to keep the news crew from finding out…and he succeeded."

She turned back towards the view of the mountains and continued on. "Things definitely were different after that. The flowers and gifts stopped for a while but my freedom was curtailed. The only place I could find peace and quiet was in the bathroom. By mid-July, I was going crazy. I felt penned in. September was by far the worst month since the whole fiasco started."

She stopped her story as Chris and Jennifer came running up to the adults on the patio. They were thirsty and wanted something to drink. Roy got up and went into the house locating the pitcher of Kool-Aid that Joanne had brought with her and poured two glasses for the kids. In the wisdom of children, Chris knew that the adults were having a serious conversation and so when his dad gave them their beverage, he took Jennifer by the hand and led her back to the playground.

Bree smiled inwardly as she watched the two children walk away. She turned back to continue with her story.

"One of my last stops before my performance at the Grand Old Opry was in Minnesota and since my mother was from North Dakota, my parents decided rent a car and head over to visit my mother's family while I jumped on the bus and headed back to Nashville. Little did I know that it would be the last time I would see my parents or my grandparents alive."

Johnny could see she was slowly falling apart. Her voice had taken on a shakiness that said she was close to losing her self-control. He glanced over at Roy and Joanne and could see the same concern in their eyes. He couldn't take it anymore. Johnny got up and walked over to Bree. He grasped her chin in his hand and made her look up at him. What he saw took his breath away. The sorrow in her eyes would have knocked a lesser person to their knees, but at the same time he saw an inner strength that he knew got her through one of the worst times of her life. She shook her head as she knew what he wanted to say to her. Instead he leaned against the column and pulled her back against his chest.

"The day of my performance I was a nervous wreck. We'd spent most of the morning going over the song we would perform and the encore number. By the time we arrived at the Opry, my parents should've been there. They had called earlier when they stopped to fill with gas to say they were only half an hour out and should've been at the Opry long before I was to go on stage."

Bree swallowed as the memories she kept under lock and key had come loose. She talked of the performance she and the band gave to the Opry audience. She told them of the worry she had as she finished the encore number and her parents still had not arrived. Deep down, she knew that something was wrong.

She could feel Johnny's arms tighten around her waist as if he was trying to give her some of his strength to continue with her story.

"As I exited the stage, my cousin, Jesse, was waiting for me. He took my arm and rushed me back to my dressing room. I had no clue what was going on. In the dressing room I had been using waiting for me was the Chief of Police for the City of Nashville."

Roy, Johnny and Joanne all looked at each other and Roy asked the question they all seemed to want an answer to. "Bree, what happened?" he asked.

"The chief had arrived halfway through my performance to inform me of the death of my parents and grandparents in a car crash," replied Bree in an almost emotionless voice as she stepped out of Johnny's embrace, turned and looked up towards the mountains. Through her tears, she smiled as she thought of all the happy memories she had in her grandparents' home.

"Thank God my cousin, Jesse, was standing behind me because I completely freaked out. In the period of four months, I had been attacked by a psychotic fan, lost my parents and both sets of grandparents. Other than my two cousins and their parents, I had no family left."

"I can't even imagine what you were feeling then or now," said Joanne with tears in her eyes as she saw Bree in a totally different light.

"I wasn't even allowed to attend the funerals of my parents or grandparents. The only thing the media had been told was that I was suffering from exhaustion and grief. The last two months of concerts were canceled and the money refunded. I was whisked away to my grandparents' lake place in Minnesota to convalesce."

She turned back to Johnny and smiled as he opened his arms for her and stepped back into his embrace. "After spending October and November at the lakes, I decided I needed to get away to a warmer climate for a while. My cousin was in her senior year at USC so I called her to let her know I was coming to visit. I had been here for almost three weeks when I met Johnny…and the rest we can say is history."

Joanne looked at the young woman whom she was now beginning to see in a different light and could see the inner strength that Bree had found within after everything that had happened.

Both Roy and Johnny looked at each other when they realized just who Bree's cousin was. Johnny smiled at her and asked, "Your cousin…it's Mandy, isn't it?"

Bree laughed, looking over at Joanne, "Sometimes you two are too smart for your own good. Yes, Mandy is my cousin and she was the one I was down here to visit."

The silence was almost deafening as each of them sat quietly trying to assimilate what Bree had told them.

Roy looked up at Johnny who was smiling at him over the top of Bree's head. Within that silent communication, Roy knew that his partner had found what he was searching for. He just hoped that meant the end of the crazy dreams he had been having the past couple of months.

Johnny started walking back towards the couch but was puzzled when Bree didn't follow him. He turned around and looked at her, still holding his hand with her arm stretched.

"What is it, honey?" he asked. He could see her take a deep breath as if she was trying to calm herself.

"There is more to this story, Johnny, just a little bit more," she replied. "You might want to sit down for this."

"Join me then," Johnny as he sat down, a little worried about what she had to say next.

"If I sit down I won't be able to continue on with this story. You can be a bit of a distraction, you know," Bree said as she chuckled nervously. "The ending of this tale has more to do with you and me and our three days together than it does with the rest."

She looked over at the De Soto kids playing in the yard and then back at Johnny with a smile on her face. "Johnny, when I left California, I didn't leave alone."

"What do you meant you didn't leave California alone? Who left with you…Mandy?"

Joanne couldn't help but chuckle at the impatience she could hear in Johnny's voice. She knew Roy was thinking the same thing as he knew better than any of them how impatient Johnny could get. She smiled at her husband as she could see the question in his eyes about where Bree was going with this.

"No, Mandy did not come with me. She was still in college," replied Bree. "When I said I didn't leave California alone, I meant that I was not the only one along for the ride."

Bree didn't think it would be this hard to tell him this but with Joanne and Roy here, she found it nigh to impossible to spill the beans. She took a deep breath and plunged right in.

"Johnny, the best way to say this is straight out…three months after I left California I found out I was pregnant…"

"Preg….," Johnny started to say before he found himself sitting down rather fast. He sat in complete silence trying to absorb what Bree had just said to him. She had been pregnant when she left California and didn't know it. He just sat there looking down at the ground trying to wrap his head around what she had said. She hadn't called, written or tried to locate him when she found out. He found himself getting angry with her because of that.

Roy could see the turmoil raging on Johnny's face. He quietly stood up and took his wife's hand, walking out to where the children were playing. He asked the kids if they wanted to go check out the trails behind the barn, figuring he could get the kids out of earshot and give the couple some privacy to have it out, so to speak.

Bree watched as Johnny waged a battle within himself. She wasn't sure what he was thinking but knew that he was having a hard time dealing with that fact that she had not tried to contact him when she discovered she was pregnant. She watched as Roy and Joanne, even though shocked by the news, quietly left the area to give them privacy.

Not knowing if this was the right thing to do, Bree walked over and knelt in front of Johnny, reaching out to place her hand on his knee. Johnny looked straight into her eyes and what she saw scared her. As he broke off eye contact, he stood up and began to pace. He turned and stared right at her.

"Why?" he asked her so softly she wasn't sure she heard him right. "Why didn't you try to contact me when you learned you were pregnant? Didn't you think I had a right to know about the child?"

Bree started to reply, but Johnny cut her off before she even had a chance to begin her sentence. "Didn't it ever occur to you that I might have been very pleased to know that we had created a new life? I love children, Bree."

He stopped pacing for a moment as if he was thinking hard and asked, "Where is the child, Bree? You spent last night with me with no obvious concern for a child at home. Did you get rid of it?"

Without even thinking, Bree reached out and slapped Johnny hard across the face. "How dare you! Never in my life would I ever consider doing something like that. I can't believe you'd even dare to think that I would harm a child, born or unborn!"

Johnny looked at Bree who was standing in front of him shaking. What surprised him was her tenacity at hitting him. She hadn't flinched nor was she crying. He couldn't tell if she was shaking from fear or from anger. He was glad that Roy and Joanne had taken the kids to the trails as he really didn't want them to witness their argument.

"I don't know what to think, Bree. I'm so pissed off right now! I can't believe that you think so little of me that you couldn't even try to contact me about the pregnancy. I missed out on nine months of you carrying our child, of our child's first six months of life. What am I supposed to think?"

Bree swallowed hard and angrily stated, "Do you know how many times I picked up the phone or started a letter? I cried myself to sleep every night because I felt so lost and so far away. I wound up in Alaska at my aunt and uncle's place until the baby was born. And as far as what you are supposed to think, that is entirely up to you!"

"So you picked up the phone to call and even started a letter but you were too much of a coward to complete it! Bree, I don't know what to think. All I know is that I want you to leave. I need time alone and try and sort this out," said Johnny. "Just leave."

"You want me to leave?" asked Bree, disbelief written all over her face. "You don't even want to discuss this dilemma as calm, rational adults?"

"Right now, I don't even feel like a calm, rational adult. What I'm feeling right now is if we continue this discuss it might end badly. Just leave, Bree, now. Get out of my sight!"

"Will I ever hear from you, Johnny?" asked Bree as she felt the tears well up in her eyes. "Will you ever be able to forgive me?"

Softly Johnny replied, "I don't know."

After hearing those three words, Bree turned to head for the front door. But before she left, she had one last thing left to say. "I never stopped thinking about you, Johnny. As our child grew within me, I thought of our time together. The first time the child moved within me, I cried because I couldn't share this with you. And when I gave birth, I spent the first two months of our child's life suffering from depression because I wasn't sharing even that with you. I am still living in that hell…separated from you and from our child. I hope that one day you can forgive me. Just know this…I will always love you…and that I will be waiting for you."

Having said what she needed to say, Bree turned and ran for the front door. As she stopped outside the house, she realized she had no way of getting home. Deciding that wasn't going to be an obstacle, she took off down the lane that led to the road they took to get here. She never had a problem with navigation and knew she could find her way back to Los Angeles. She never looked back.

Johnny leaned up against the patio column and stared up towards the mountains. He wondered how he could be so wrong about someone and so lost as to what he should do about it. He never heard Roy approach him ten minutes later.

"Are you okay, Junior?"

He jumped as he heard the voice next to him and turned towards his friend. "I'll be fine, Roy. It's just hard to digest this news."

"I hate to ask this, Johnny, but are you sure it's yours?" asked Roy knowing that Johnny would not be fine, not for a while.

"I am one hundred percent sure, Pally," replied Johnny. "Just between you and me, she'd never been with anyone before. I was the first."

"Ooooo...kay. So what do you plan on doing about it?" he asked. "You two just found each other again and she goes and drops one hell of a bombshell on you."

"Of that I'm not too sure about. I have a lot to sort through, a lot to try to figure out. I told her I just need time to think."

"You know what amazes me, Junior," Roy said. "It's that even though you two only knew each other for three days and have been separated for over a year, yet there is some type of a connection I just can't get…what is it between you and her."

Johnny looked at his partner as he shook his head in bewilderment and had no idea how to reply to what Roy just said.

While Roy and Johnny talked about what happened, Joanne took the kids inside and tried to find where Bree had gone to. Jennifer and Chris were having fun running through the empty house and listening to their voices echo through the rooms. When she realized Bree was nowhere to be found, she became worried that the young woman took off on her own to get home. As she walked back into the living room, she could see Roy through the patio door and when he glanced in her direction, she motioned for him to come inside.

Roy spotted Joanne motioning to him to come in. He told Johnny that he'd be right back and went in to see what his wife wanted.

"Roy, I can't find Bree," said Joanne with a worried expression in her eyes. "She's nowhere in the house and neither is she in the front yard. I think she took off."

"That's going to be one long walk if she did as she rode with us," he replied. "I'd better let Johnny know."

"Don't do that, Roy," said Joanne as he turned to look back at her. "Let Johnny be. He has enough on his plate that he needs to sort through and so does Bree. I don't condone that what she did was right, but at the same time I can understand her dilemma," she said. "Let me go and look for her. I'll take the kids with me and when I find her, I'll give her a lift to her house and head home to start supper. Bring Johnny along for supper if he'll agree."

She gave her husband a hug and told the kids to head for the car. Roy kissed her before he let her go and told her good luck. When she got to the car, she told Chris to sit up front and help her keep an eye out for Bree.

"Did Bree and Uncle Johnny have a big fight or something, mom?" asked Chris.

"Something like that, honey. She must have forgotten that she rode with Uncle Johnny and decided to walk home."

"You grownups are sure silly," Chris replied as he laughed.

"Yes, we are," Joanne replied back as she ruffled her son's hair and laughed with him. She looked at her youngest in the rearview mirror and smiled at the little girl, thankful that she didn't understand what was going on.

Putting the car in gear, she backed out of the drive. Roy watched them leave and turned back to Johnny. The two friends sat in silence, looking out towards the mountains and enjoying the peace and quiet.

Joanne told Chris to keep an eye out for the small blonde. About fifteen minutes into the drive, Chris spotted Bree walking up ahead. Joanne couldn't believe how far Bree had gotten in just a short time.

Bree thought she could hear a car coming down the road and hoped it wasn't Johnny. She wasn't ready to face him now. Bree stepped off the side of the road to allow the car to pass and was surprised to hear it slow down as it pulled up alongside of her. She turned to see who it was and saw Chris smiling at her as he was rolling down the window.

"Could you use a lift, Bree?" asked Joanne and Chris simultaneously.

She smiled weakly and said, "I'd appreciate it." She told Chris to stay in the front seat and she opened the back door and got in.

As Bree put on her seatbelt, Jennifer watched her with curiosity. She knew the lady sitting next to her was sad and that it had something to do with Uncle Johnny but she wasn't sure why. She could see her mom watching the lady through the mirror up front and that mommy was worried about something. Jennifer decided the pretty lady needed a hug and wiggled out of her seatbelt and slid close to Bree, putting her hand in Bree's and hugging her arm.

Bree felt a small, warm hand slide into hers and when she glanced down, Jennifer was sitting next to her and trying to give her a hug. It almost broke her heart as she knew what this precious little girl was trying to do…comfort her without knowing why. She pulled the little girl into her lap and hugged her close, while the tears slipped down her cheeks.

Joanne almost started crying herself as she saw her daughter reach out to Bree. She couldn't even bring herself to admonish her for getting out of her seatbelt when she knows it is wrong. It amazed her how her youngest child could be so intuitive when it came to others hurting.

As they approached Carson, Joanne said over her shoulder to Bree, "I'm going to need your address, Bree, so I can get you home."

"Sorry, Joanne, I didn't even think about that. It's 1257 Northridge Drive in Torrance. It's at the end of a cul-de-sac," replied Bree as she continued to hold Jennifer while she looked out the window.

Ten minutes later, Joanne pulled into Bree's driveway. She was amazed at the home that Bree lived in. She watched through the rearview mirror as Bree put Jennifer back into her seatbelt and kissed her forehead and telling her that she was a very special little girl. She then turned and thanked Chris for asking her if she needed a ride.

As Bree opened the back door to get out, Joanne also got out, walking around the front to wait for Bree. Bree shut the door and looked up with a puzzled look on her face until she saw Joanne waiting for her.

"Thanks for the ride, Joanne. I really appreciate it."

"It was no problem, Bree," she replied. Before Bree could walk away, Joanne said to her, "Give Johnny time, Bree. He needs time to work this out in his mind. You gave him quite a shock."

"I know I did," Bree said. "That wasn't quite how I envisioned it in my mind. But I don't know if he will ever forgive me for this. I robbed him of the chance to see his child born and to grow."

Joanne looked at the younger woman and smiled, "Bree, he just needs time to think it through. But can I ask you this…is the child here with you?"

"No, Johnny's daughter is with my uncle in Anchorage. He and my aunt will be bringing her down here in a few weeks," stated Bree. "I am very anxious to hold her in my arms again."

"He has a daughter!" Joanne softly exclaimed. "When will you let him know she is here?"

Bree struggled to keep it together. Finally, she looked at Joanne and said, "Joanne, I appreciate your efforts to find out what you can…but can we maybe talk this out later? I just want to go inside and bury myself in my bed and cry."

Her brutal honesty showed Joanne that she was truly hurting about what happened at the ranch. She quickly hugged Bree and told her that she would call her later this week and maybe they could get together for lunch. Bree watched as Joanne got into her car and drove away. She turned and slowly walked up the steps and entered her home.

Mandy heard the door open and knew her errant roommate had finally made it home. She came around the corner excitedly as she couldn't wait to hear the details of her reunion with the man she said she had fallen in love with when she was in California. But what she saw stopped her in her tracks. When Bree looked at her roommate, all Mandy saw was the same sorrow that Bree had dealt with when her parents died…only worse.

Bree's resolve crumpled as she looked at Mandy. She let the tears flow freely and Mandy ran to her as she heard the deep sobs ripping loose from Bree's mouth. She grabbed her cousin as Bree began to collapse and helped her to the floor. She held her tightly as Bree released all the grief she had bottled up since she had to leave her daughter in Alaska.

When her tears finally seemed to be subsiding, Mandy got her back on her feet and took her into her bedroom. She walked into Bree's bathroom, started the water to warm it and began filling the tub. Walking back out, she saw that Bree had not moved. She took it upon herself to grab nightgown off the bed and said, "Come on, cousin. Let's get you into the tub for a good long soak."

Bree didn't say a word but followed her cousin into the bathroom.

"I am not going to ask you what happened. I just want to you soak in the tub and when you are done, crawl into bed and go to sleep. Questions can wait until later."

Mandy left her cousin to take her bath and walked back to the kitchen. Picking up the phone she dialed a number, saying two words to the person who answered on the other end, "It's time."


	2. Chapter 2

_He lost her! He silently screamed in frustration as he could not sense her presence anywhere. He thought again, I've lost her. Suddenly, a soft light filled the darkness and he turned to find the source. That's when he sensed she was in the room but it wasn't the same. She seemed to be fading as the light that usually surrounded her appeared dimmer._

_"Where are you?" he asked._

_"I am not that far from you, but I don't know how much longer I can hold on. You seem to fighting me at every corner. You still doubt yourself and my love for you."_

_"Just show yourself to me. Let me know who you are," he cried._

_"I wish it were that simple. It's not. You need to quit doubting yourself and trust in those who love you."_

_Before he could say another word, the light went away and once more he was plunged into the darkness._

Johnny shot up in bed as his alarm went off. He couldn't believe it. For one glorious week, his sleep had been dreamless but since he found Bree (and lost her by his own admission) the dream was back and even vaguer than before. Swinging his legs over the edge of the bed, he brushed the hair out of his face and got up to get ready for work. Glancing into the mirror, he was startled by the dark circles he could see under his eyes. He looked like he hadn't slept in ages.

After finishing breakfast, he rinsed his dishes and put them in the sink. Grabbing his gear, he locked his apartment door behind him and headed to work. He pulled into Station 51's parking area at the same time as Roy. As he waited for Johnny to park his Jeep, he wondered what type of mood his partner was going to be in today.

"Junior, you look like hell. I take it you didn't sleep well?" asked Roy as Johnny came walking towards him.

"Brilliant deduction, Sherlock, as I already knew that," said Johnny with his usual flare for drama. "That damn dream's back with a vengeance! The scary thing is, Roy, I keep thinking I lost her. Who the hell did I lose? I'm not sure if I've ever seen the woman I'm dreaming about and it frustrates me that I was thinking that I lost her."

Just from that one statement, Roy knew what his day was going to be like but decided to try to make light of the situation. "Well, you might want to try and keep this from Chet as you know what he can be like once he figures out there is something in your life that's not quite right."

About that time, Chet decided to make his presence known. He popped out from the other side of the lockers, looked right at Johnny and said, "So what woman ditched you this time, Gage? Saturday night must not have been a productive as you hoped it would be."

"What would you know about it, Chet?" countered Johnny as he turned to walk out of the locker room.

Chet sidestepped around Johnny to block his way out of the room. "Come on, Gage. I know you were out with Mandy and Marco at the club Saturday night. Mandy must have have tried to set you up with one of her friends. And I would bet on it that her friend wised up and ditched you before the night ended."

"Kelly, it is none of your damn business what I did Saturday night and who I did it with! So bug off!" shouted Johnny.

Roy tried to step in but the argument was already beyond his control. The two stood in front of the door arguing about Johnny's love life, or lack thereof according to Chet. Roy tried to get around them to get out of the locker room but every time he tried, either Chet or Johnny would move to block him. He finally gave up and walked through the dorm room and out to the engine bay.

Mike was standing next to the engine trying to look nonchalant about the argument that was pretty much being heard throughout the station. Marco popped his head around the end of the squad and motioned to Roy to follow him. Once inside the dayroom, Marco handed Roy a cup of coffee and asked, "What is that all about?"

"Not quite sure but I think it has something to do with this past weekend and what happened at the club."

"I take it you know about the girl who Johnny met at the club…" Marco started to say when Roy interrupted him.

"I know about her and met her. There's more to that relationship than meets the eye, Marco," stated Roy. "So much more but it's not my story to tell."

"I agree with that assumption. I gathered that much from the reaction Johnny had when he saw her in the club. Mandy knows more than she is telling me also."

The two headed back out the engine bay as it was almost time for roll call and they could hear Johnny and Chet taking their argument out into the bay. It was only a matter of time before Captain Stanley would interject his authority between the two combatants and command that they stop it.

Both Chet and Johnny spotted Captain Stanley and shut up before he had a chance to shout at them. The Cap, as they referred to him, looked at his lineman and his youngest crew member letting them know with his glance that their argument had not gone unnoticed. They knew one of them would more than likely be stuck with latrine duty and who knows what the other would wind up with. Hank kept his thoughts off of his face and in his mind called those two "twits" for their juvenile behavior this morning. As he handed out the men their daily duties, he stuck Chet with latrine duty and gave Johnny double duty of the dorm room and hanging hose with Mike.

He dismissed the men. Chet fired off one last shot to Johnny which earned him a formidable frown from his commanding officer but also a childish tongue being stuck out by Johnny. As he turned away, Hank couldn't help but smile as the "twits" never failed to liven up his station.

Dixie was hoping to catch Brenna when she came up for her lunch break. She had seen her this morning scurrying through the doors to the lab like she was trying to hide something and laughed as she thought the girl was probably embarrassed that her reaction to Johnny was witnessed by everyone. Curiosity was eating away at her as she couldn't wait to tease her about Saturday night and find out the whole story from the young woman as to how she knew Johnny.

Half an hour later Dixie glanced up from her work schedules when she thought she heard Brenna's voice coming from the stairwell that led to the lab. It sounded like the girl was arguing with one of her coworkers and it was not a pleasant argument.

"I still think you are acting like a child. Don't follow in his stupidity...you are better than that, Bree!" stated Mandy.

"I never said I was any better than he was but I sure as hell am not going to deal with it the way he is!" she shouted back.

The girls were so into their argument that neither one of them realized that they had entered the ER until they heard an authoritative voice behind them.

"That is quite enough, girls. Remember where you are!"

Both Bree and Mandy stopped in their tracks and turned to see who was right behind them. It turned out to be Dr. Brackett and the look on his face was enough to shut them up. Dixie had to glance down at her schedules as the look on their faces when they saw Dr. Brackett just about had her laughing. She had seen that look numerous times and if they only knew the thought behind that look.

Dixie heard someone stop in front of where she was sitting and looking up, she saw Mandy and Bree both.

"Maybe you can talk some sense into my cousin because I surely can't," said Mandy directing her statement to Dixie before she walked away.

She watched as Mandy walked briskly towards the entrance to the cafeteria and when she looked back at Bree, she was shocked as the usually vibrant blonde looked like she got the worst end of a fight. The dark circles under her eyes and her overall demeanor were enough to clue Dixie in that something had gone seriously wrong after Brenna had left the club.

Carol had just walked into the base station and Dixie asked her if she could watch it for a few minutes while she took a quick break. She motioned for Brenna to follow her into the lounge.

Once inside the lounge, Dixie pointed to the chair and turned to pour both a cup of coffee. Setting one down in front of Bree, she asked, "Just what has you and _your cousin_ at odds with each other?"

"It's a long story, Dixie, and I don't really think I want to talk with you about it," replied Bree with a sarcastic tone in her voice.

"I don't think you have a choice after what I saw in the ER," replied Dixie with a bit more force behind her words. "I will tell you this…I had good intentions of pestering you about the events on Saturday night, but after seeing the way look you right now, am I wrong in assuming things are not all as they seem to be?"

Dixie almost shuddered when Brenna finally looked up again and the expression in her eyes said it all. Her eyes filled with tears as she looked at the nurse and she found it very hard to even say a thing to her. Then she did the one thing she was hoping she wouldn't do, she burst into tears.

That spurred Dixie into action. She quickly left her chair and knelt by the young woman, enveloping her in a hug letting her cry her heart out. When she felt Brenna's sobs begin to subside, she grabbed a box of tissues off the table by the couch. She handed them to Brenna who smiled her thanks.

"I am so sorry for that display and for the way I talked to you a bit ago," said Brenna as she wiped the remaining tears from the corner of her eyes. "I really thought I had cried myself dry last night."

"Believe me, that's not the reaction I was expecting when I brought you in here," replied Dixie. "You look like hell, girl. What's going on?"

Brenna looked at the woman she considered a good friend and said, "It's such a long and convoluted story, I wouldn't know where to begin, Dixie. I do know that this is not the place where I want to discuss it with you…too many eyes and ears…and this is not a story I wish to disclose to everyone."

Dixie wondered what kind of story someone as young as Brenna would want to keep quiet. "I can understand that, but you are not going to get out of it. Like I said, after witnessing your argument in the ER and watching you burst into tears, I believe I have a right, as a friend, to hear it."

"Agreed, but I will tell you what the argument between me and Mandy was about…I tried to quit today."

"Why would you try to quit, Brenna?"

"That's part of the other story, Dixie. There is also one more thing I would like you to call me by my nickname as I've always considered Brenna a mouthful. Please call me, Bree."

Something about that name struck Dixie with familiarity, but she brushed the feeling aside as she knew her friend just needed to talk. "Bree…I can do that. I will say this though, in the short time that I've known you, I've always sensed that there was more to you than you have been telling us."

"That's true, Dixie, but like I said I really don't want to talk about it here," she stated. "I think we need to get together somewhere private for me to fill you in on the whole story."

"You're on, girl," replied Dixie as it finally dawned on her why the nickname, Bree, was so familiar to her. "But I need to ask one thing, you said your nickname is Bree. Tell me if I'm way off base with this idea…you remind of someone else whose name was also Bree and she used to sing. Do you who I'm talking about?"

Bree's head snapped up so fast that Dixie could tell by the expression in her eyes she hit the nail right on the head. She smiled at Bree to let her know that her secret was safe with her, if it was true.

"How did you….what made you…Oh good grief! I can't even complete a sentence," said Bree with exasperation and frustration oozing through her. "Dixie, my real name is Brenna Elizabeth Leigh Mon…."

But before Brenna could finish her sentence, Dr. Brackett came into the lounge and she stopped in the middle of what she was going to say. Dixie turned and gave Kel a very dirty look which made him step back a bit. She looked like she wanted to strangle him. He swallowed hard and glanced over at Brenna wondering why the girl looked like her world had just fallen out from underneath her.

"Dixie, you didn't need to chew out the poor girl to the point where she had to cry. What did you say to her?"

Both Dixie and Bree looked at each other and started to laugh. Dr. Brackett wasn't sure what he said that was so funny and the look of confusion on his face made them laugh even harder.

"She wasn't 'chewing me out' so to speak, Dr. Brackett," replied Brenna. "She was trying to find out what Mandy and I were arguing about and brought me in here so we could talk about it privately. The subject then turned to our outing this weekend."

"That's right. Dixie mentioned to me that she was going to grab Joe Early and meet you and a few others at a new club on Saturday. How'd that go, Dixie?"

"The evening was very eventful and even had a few surprises. But I don't think that's what you came here for," said Dixie as she tried not to giggle at him for his reaction to the nasty look she gave him. She knew she would have to explain that to him at a later time.

"Oh yeah, that's right. Carol was looking for you. Not sure what it's about but I know it's not urgent."

As Dixie and Bree stood to leave the lounge, Kel walked ahead of them, opening the door for the two women and followed them out. The trio walked down the hall towards the nurses' base station in the ER. Carol was nowhere to be found, but there were two paramedics standing at the desk. Roy glanced up when he heard Dixie and Dr. Brackett talking as they came around the corner but was even more surprised when he saw Bree walking beside Dixie. He glanced over towards Johnny who had his back to them as he was getting a cup of coffee.

When Johnny turned around, he locked eyes with Bree. She could feel the tears well up again as she broke eye contact with Johnny. Quickly saying goodbye to Dixie, Bree took off down the hall at a brisk walk, almost running. She had hoped that she would not run into him today at the hospital. Dixie watched Johnny as he followed Bree's progress down the hall in her effort to get away. She smiled at the exchange as she knew there was still something there that neither one of them would admit to. Kel also noticed the tension between Johnny and Brenna and watched as the petite blonde lab tech hurriedly passed by the nurses' station with not so much of a goodbye to anyone but Dixie.

As Johnny watched Bree heading quickly towards the exit, he muttered something under his breath that both Roy and Dixie heard to sound like 'I can't stand this.' They looked at each other as Johnny took off down the hall after the petite blonde in hopes that he could catch up with her before she disappeared.

"Would somebody please explain _that_ to me?" Dr. Brackett asked to no one in particular as he watched the pair head down the hall.

Dr. Early came out of Treatment Room 4 in time to see Johnny chase after Brenna down the hallway and heard Kel's question. He glanced over at Dixie and Roy who looked like they weren't too sure about the whole situation. Joe decided to answer Kel's question and said out loud, "I do believe Johnny is chasing after his latest, soon-to-be conquest."

Dixie and Roy looked at Joe with total amusement on their face and found that they couldn't hold back their laughter. Glancing back at other they gave into the absurdness of the situation, leaning against the counter for support. The expression on Kel's face combined with Dr. Early's deadpan comment had sent them over the edge. While Dixie found the humor in the situation, she knew there was an underlying problem and that Roy had the inside scoop. As he watched the head nurse and senior paramedic try to regain some semblance of control, Kel knew now that he definitely missed something this weekend at the club.

Watching his partner run down the hall to try to catch up with Bree, Roy thought not only about what he _almost_ witnessed Sunday morning, but also what happened later that day and how it ended. Johnny had been fairly silent for most of the morning, barely giving anyone a civil greeting. He knew it would only be a matter of time before Chet would pull some stunt on his favorite pigeon.

About the time Dixie was going to approach Roy to find out what was going on, Johnny came bounding back into the emergency room not looking all too happy. From the expression on his face…he hadn't been able to catch up with Bree. Grabbing the cup of coffee he left on the counter, Johnny turned to see his friends staring at him like something was growing out of the top of his head.

"What?" asked Johnny as he looked at them, confused as to why they were looking at him perplexed. "Have I sprouted horns on top of my head or something?" He turned and glanced at his reflection in the glass doors of the medication cabinet to see if he indeed had horns on his head. He turned back and once again asked his friends "What?"

Before anybody had a chance to answer his puzzling question, the guys' radio went off sending them back out on a run. Roy answered the radio call and headed down the hall towards the exit to the parking lot.

Dixie watched as Roy and Johnny sprinted off to their next call and wondered again what happened between Bree and Johnny to make them both look as miserable as hell. She just hoped she would have the time to talk with Roy if and when the guys came back to Rampart.

Dr. Brackett turned to Dixie and said, "Are you going to clue me in on what exactly happened Saturday night at the Red Wolf. It seems you have had a lot up your sleeve lately and you are really beginning to scare me."

"Kel, sometimes you have the worse timing!" cried Dixie as she took a swipe at him with the chart she had just picked up.

"What do you mean, Dix? Those two who just left? I just asked you to tell me what I missed this past weekend."

"I'm not talking about you witnessing Johnny chasing after Brenna. I'm talking about when you walked in on the conversation I was having with Brenna in the lounge," replied Dixie. "She was just about to tell me something about her and Johnny's relationship. I could've wrung your neck!"

Kel was starting to feel confused all over again and stated, "I was wondering what I did to deserve that dirty look. But really, are you going to tell me what exactly went on this weekend…including what I just witnessed with Johnny chasing Brenna down the hall."

"How much time do you have, Kel? It's a long story and I think there's more going on than I know about. But I really don't want to talk about it here," said Dixie.

"Give me the abbreviated version right now and later after our shift, I will take you out for supper for the full version," Kel replied.

"You're on!"

While Dixie worked on restocking the nurses' and base station, she filled Kel in on the goings on at the Red Wolf on Saturday night. She told him that Johnny had been pleasantly surprised when a young woman he obviously knew showed up at the club. Kel was even more astonished when Dixie told him about the dance that took place on floor with Mandy and Brenna performing it. But he couldn't hold back his laughter when Dixie told him what took place right after Brenna had walked off the dance floor and right into Johnny's arms for a kiss that had everyone thinking about a cold shower they all could have used right about then.

As Roy started the squad, flipping on the sirens and put it into gear, he took a sideways glance at his partner. He knew Johnny was having a hard time dealing with what happened this past weekend…first running into the woman who stole his heart over a year ago and then learning that they had a daughter together. When Johnny first arrived at work, he seemed to be doing alright. He didn't joke as much but he wasn't biting anyone's head off either, apart from the argument with Chet before roll call. But as the day progressed, he seemed to get quieter and quieter. He figured he would let Johnny work it out in his mind before he said anything to him.

Pulling the squad out of the parking lot, Roy took another sideways glance at Johnny.

"Just ask me, Roy," said Johnny with a bit of exasperation in his voice. "I know you're dying to find out what I've been thinking."

"Only when you're ready to talk about it, Junior," replied Roy. "I am not going to pressure you into talking about what you are thinking."

Johnny slowly let out the breath that he had been holding. He looked at his partner and said, "I just don't know what to do about this whole situation. A baby, Roy, I have a child that I didn't even know about it until yesterday. I've missed so much in the child's first year of life and I'm mad at myself that I didn't even think to ask Bree if we had a boy or a girl."

Roy thought about what Joanne told him Sunday night after Johnny had left their place. Bree had inadvertently mentioned that Johnny had a daughter when Jo had dropped her off at her home. He thought about how Johnny would be pleased to know about this little girl, but he kept the thought to himself as he felt Bree should be the one to tell this to Johnny.

"Johnny, you just need to give it time. It's been a shock to your system and you haven't had time to deal with it properly. If you don't feel comfortable talking to Bree now, then don't. Go on with your life as before you knew she was back."

"I know I should go on with my life but at the same time I am constantly thinking why…why she didn't even try to contact me. I could've taken her in and watched over her. I could have…no, I should have been there for her and I wasn't even given the choice," Johnny said, sounding like he was almost on the verge of tears. "I am still so angry right now I can't even think straight. I feel I should hate her for not including me in this, yet at the same time I still care deeply about her."

Roy listened as Johnny went on talking, knowing that his partner was slowly working things out in his own mind and coming closer to a decision on what to do. He could sense that Johnny was coming to the end of the discussion and turned his head as he heard Johnny say to him.

"You know, Roy, I'm glad that you allow me to sit here and rant to my heart's content without telling me I should do this or do that. You just listen. I hope you know how much I appreciate that. Thanks."

"Junior, you can talk to me anytime. I don't mind at all." The guys lapsed into companionable silence keeping an eye out for the address they had been sent out to.

An hour later the guys returned to the station. Roy couldn't help but wonder what his partner had on his mind now…until he saw Marco heading into the locker room, remembering that Marco had been there at the club that night. He pretty much had a good idea now of exactly what his partner was thinking.

He didn't even have the squad in park before his partner had his door open and was bounding out of the vehicle. He couldn't help but chuckle silently as he knew that Johnny was definitely going to look for Marco. Shutting the vehicle off, he got out of the squad and went into the dayroom, poured a cup of coffee and waited for Johnny to return.

Johnny checked out the back of the station and didn't see Marco. He knew it wasn't Marco's turn to cook so he wondered where he was at. He couldn't help but worry about Marco might have said to Chet about Saturday night. He was wanted to talk to him, hoping he would keep what he saw at the Red Wolf to himself for a while and not give Chet any ammo to pester him with.

Entering the locker room, he spotted Marco at the sink washing his hands. Marco turned his head when he heard the door and saw Johnny walking in with a concerned look upon his face.

"Hey, Johnny, what's up? You look kind of worried about something."

"I guess in a way I am, Marco," replied Johnny as he leaned back against the sink. "I was wondering…is there any way you can keep a lid on what happened Saturday night? Or am I too late in asking that?"

"In other words, you want me to keep my mouth shut on what I saw happen at the bar that night between you and Brenna?" said Marco as he could see at how uncomfortable Johnny looked at that moment. "You aren't trying to keep a certain _phantom_ from finding out about this lovely lady, are you?"

"I think you know the answer to that one, Marco. I just don't want Chet hounding me about her."

"Don't worry, Johnny. I haven't said a word to him about what happened Saturday night at the Red Wolf, although it doesn't mean he hasn't pestered me about what went on there."

"I appreciate that you kept it under wraps for me. Things are kind of up in the air with us right now and I just don't need him breathing down my neck."

"No problem, Johnny. As much as I would love to taunt Chet with the fact that you met a very lovely woman and that you two knew each other before, I think he would turn into the classic pain in the ass if armed with that piece of ammunition. Your secret's safe with me."

Johnny smiled at his coworker as he knew that Marco would take his secret to the grave if asked. He felt bad that he couldn't tell Marco about what happened after they had left the bar but he was pretty sure Marco already got the low down from Mandy anyway. The two walked out of the locker room together and went to join the others for lunch in the dayroom.

Bree sat in her car and watched the squad pull away from the hospital, sirens blaring in the quiet of the day. After speaking with her supervisor, who had talked her into taking the rest of the day off instead of quitting, she didn't know what to do. Wiping the tears from her eyes, she put her car into gear and decided to head for the beach. It came to mind that it was time to do a little therapy…the kind that involves shopping.

The one destination she had in mind was Santa Monica. She loved the boardwalk with its little boutiques and bistros. She turned on to the Pacific Coast Highway and cranked the radio, singing along as she lazily took her time driving. Most people driving along the PCH had no problem with someone taking their time…enjoying life. Soon enough she found herself in Santa Monica. She pulled into one of the many public parking lots, secured her car and briskly walked towards the shops.

Not one to take notice of her surroundings, Bree failed to see the reflection of the person behind her intently staring at her as she walked along the sidewalk and watching her every move.

_He couldn't believe it…she_was_back in California. After she left Nashville in March of 1975, he had been hard pressed to locate her. He had spent most of his time roaming around the southern part of California as he knew her cousin lived here, but it was like she had fallen off the face of the earth. He remembered the rumors that had floated around for months after the announcement she made about quitting the scene…he thought she was just joking. Not so…she really did quit. No music, no recording, no nothing. It almost sent him over the edge but he would not give up. He knew in his heart that she would come back and fate proved him right._

_He would need to take his time before he revealed himself to her. After the last time when he almost got caught, he knew he would need to learn her habits better and figure out the best time to approach her, primarily when she is alone. He knew that there was someone she had met here…the rival, the one who ruined her. He was the one who caused her to quit singing and to disappear…this 'fire boy' as he preferred to call him. The rival would have to be taken care of, if she hooks up with him again, as there was no room for both of them in her life. He settled back to watch her enjoy her day of shopping. Time was on his side._

Bree squealed in delight as in the window of one boutique she saw a two-piece swimsuit that just screamed her name. She thought to heck with it and walked in to purchase the suit. Many stores later, she had her hands full of packages and discovered she was a little thirsty. Seeing a sidewalk bistro up ahead, she quickened her pace.

Sitting down, it dawned on her that this bistro was the very same one that she met Johnny at for the first time and smiled in remembrance of that special day…where she fell in deep in love for the first time. Picking up the menu, she quickly made her decision and gave her order to the waitress.

Watching the people walking by, Bree went back in her memories to the last time she had been sitting here slowly drinking an iced coffee by herself, contemplating recent events in her life. She remembered the two young college students who walked by her table, staring at her as they went by. They had turned around, coming back to her table and pestered her about looking just like the country singer, Bree Montgomery. Silently chuckling as she let herself get lost in that memory, she never saw the waitress placing her iced latte in front of her.

"_Has anyone ever told you that you are the spitting image of Bree Montgomery, county rock singer?" asked the blond-haired boy._

_Brenna looked at him and replied, "Numerous times. Let me tell you this…you are barking up the wrong tree with that idea. I am not this Bree Montgomery."_

"_Seriously, I think you are her. Rumor has it she is on vacation somewhere and I would say she is right here in front of me," said the dark haired boy._

_She shot both boys a very hard glare and once again stated, "Do you both have hearing problems? I am not the person you say I am. And I am going to ask you to leave me alone and go back to the classroom you came from."_

_Brenna went back to reading the paper she had in front of her, trying her best to ignore the boys who were still standing by her table. She didn't want to have to get up and leave but if they continued to stand there, she would have to. Out of her peripheral vision she had seen another young man walk up to the door of the bistro, stopping to watch the exchange at her table and wondered if she was going to have to deal with him too._

"_Come on, lady. We know you are her. There is no way you can look that much like her and not be her." The dark-haired boy was not discouraged by her coolness, putting his hand on the chair opposite of Bree and moving it back so he could sit down._

"_Honey, I am so sorry I am late. Time just got away from me," said Johnny as he walked up to Brenna's table. He reached down, placing his hand behind her head and gave her a thorough kiss. Before he pulled back, he whispered in her ear to play along with him and maybe the boys would leave._

_Brenna looked up at him with a very seductive smile and said, "That's alright, sweetheart. And you don't need to worry as I will make sure you pay for it later."_

_Johnny found it hard to control his heart rate after that kiss and as he gazed into the girl's eyes he could tell she was having the same problem as he was._

"_I am sure you will. Are you ready to leave?" he asked her as he put his hand out to help her up from the chair she was sitting on._

"_Yes, but do you mind if we walk for a bit? I would like to do a little window shopping," she said as she took his hand._

_Brenna and Johnny took off down the boardwalk as the two boys stood there with their mouths handing open, looking at each other. Johnny chuckled as he tucked Brenna's hand into the crook of his arm and placed his own on top of it._

_As they walked, Johnny introduced himself to her and told her that he just couldn't let those two boys continue to pester her. She laughed as she told him that the looks on their faces made up for the surprise he gave her when he kissed her. He told her about his work as a firefighter-paramedic and she told him that she was a newly graduated college student on vacation before settling down to look for a job._

"_I am only here for three more days then I have to head back to the East Coast," Bree said. "I wish I could stay here and look for a job but unfortunately my parents want me to come home."_

"_I know it's kind of presumptuous of me to ask this…but could I show you around the area over the next three days before you go?" asked Johnny._

"_I'd love to spend time with you, Johnny," she said. "I really don't know what to do other than sit at the beach and people watch. It's kind of hard to do anything actually when you don't have a car at your disposal."_

"_Is there anything special you would like to do? I have the whole weekend off so I am up for anything."_

_She glanced at him sideways through her lashes and smiled, "You might think this is crazy but I'd love to go to the San Gabriel Mountains and Angeles National Forest to do some camping and hiking."_

_He couldn't believe it when she said that…a girl who likes to camp and hike. As they walked to his car, Johnny told her about a very special place he likes to go camping in the forest, a little off the beaten path and private. He asked her if she needed to stop anywhere to pick up her belongings and she told him that she had sent most of her stuff home already and had just a small bag with her. He opened the door to his Jeep for her, got into the driver's side and they took off._

"Miss?" asked the waitress.

Bree shook her head as she awoke from her musings. "I am sorry. I was kind of lost in my thoughts. Was there something you needed?"

"I just wanted to let you know that I brought your order and to also see if you needed a refill on your coffee."

Spotting her order on the table, she smiled up at the waitress and said, "It looks wonderful and no, I don't need a refill right now. Thank you very much."

"You're welcome, Miss. If you need anything, please let me know." The waitress went back into the building and left Bree to her thoughts.

_In the shadows beyond the store front, he watched her, wondering what had her so distracted. He could feel the anger in his bones as he knew she was thinking about him, the 'fire boy'. Crushing the soda can between his hands he knew he needed to think about how he was going to get close to the man who ruined his Bree and how he was going to wipe him from her memory for good._

_"Johnny, please, you need to hurry. I don't know how much time is left and you are wasting it."_

_He could hear her voice but he could no longer see her. The light that used to accompany her was so dim that he could no longer make out even her shadow. But he knew she was there as he could smell her perfume._

_"Show yourself to me. I can't see you."_

_"Johnny, you need to quit fighting it. I love you. I always have but I can't make you decide that you love me in return."_

_"Decide what? Whether I want to love a ghost or a real person?"_

_He could hear her crying in the background but couldn't understand why. What had he done to make her cry? He had already solved one of her riddles…what he wanted…a family like Roy and Joanne and in a way he already had that with Bree. Together they had a child. But what was he missing? He sighed in frustration as he was no closer to that answer than he had been before._

_"I'm not a ghost…I am a real flesh and blood woman. But I can't hold on forever. You need to open your heart before I am lost."_

_As she finished talking, her light brightened temporarily and for a moment he actually saw her face. Johnny couldn't say anything…he just stared._

_"Bree?"_

Johnny sat up in bed, gasping for air. He couldn't believe who he saw in his dream. The woman in his dreams was Bree…it had been her all along and he never realized it.

"Just who in the hell is Bree?" asked Chet quite grumpily as he leaned on one elbow to glare at Johnny.

"Kelly, shut up," said the Captain from his bed by the door. "Gage, is this going to start up again?"

"No, Cap, it's not. I am pretty sure I am done with this."

"I sure hope it is because if not, you will find yourself on the receiving end of latrine duty until the end of the year instead of Kelly. Understood, Gage?"

"Crystal clear, Cap," replied Johnny as he lay back down. He could tell Roy was staring at him through the dark but he was going to have to wait until morning for the answers to his questions.

"Gage, come on and tell us who is this Bree you were asking for," said Chet softly as he thought if he could keep Gage talking about this chick, it would be Gage getting stuck doing latrines for the rest of the year instead of him.

"Kelly, one more word and it will be you who will have latrine duty instead of Gage and not just to the end of this year but until the end of next year too."

"Yes, Cap," said Chet rather sullenly as he rolled onto his side trying to figure out how the phantom could get his favorite pigeon to confess about this chick who had him tied up in knots.

Johnny followed the ambulance into the emergency room bay and parked alongside of it. The orderlies and Roy had already entered the ER while Johnny was parking the squad. He walked over to the nurses' station with the intent to bug Dixie about Bree, but she wasn't at the nurses' station. Carol finally came around the corner and told him that Dixie had gone into Treatment Room 4 with the patient that Roy had brought in.

Figuring he would be waiting for a few minutes, he poured himself a cup of coffee and waited.

Mandy stepped out of Treatment Room 2 and walked briskly towards the doors that would lead her to the lab. Johnny spotted movement out of the corner of his eye and turned to check it out. He was mildly surprised to see Mandy and just a bit disappointed that it wasn't Bree.

"Hi, Mandy, how are you?" he asked her as she approached the nurses' station.

"Hey, Casanova, are you making the rounds again?"

Johnny couldn't tell if she was teasing him or not. Usually Mandy and he had a flirting thing going on that was harmless as she was dating one of his coworkers. But since finding out that Mandy's friend was the same woman he had met on New Year's Eve 1974, he wasn't too sure how things stood between the two of them.

"Again…I am not that bad, am I?"

"I'm just teasing, Johnny," replied Mandy. "How have you been?" Even though she asked the question, she could tell how he was by the expression in his eyes. It pretty much mirrored her cousin's.

"Miserable," Johnny said. "Have you got a minute?"

Mandy looked the dark-haired paramedic right in the eye and said, "I wish I did but I have to get this sample down to the lab ASAP. I shouldn't have even stopped to say hi. Why?"

"I really would like a chance to talk with you about something."

"You're going to have to talk to Marco. We are doing something this weekend but maybe we can get together for a bit and talk." She waved bye as she swept through the door and headed to the lab.

Traci watched the dark-haired paramedic standing by the ER nurses' station talking with one of the lab techs. She could tell that they knew each other but also remembered from when she asked around about him, he wasn't currently dating anyone.

Johnny was been leaning up against the counter at the nurses' station trying to act as nonchalant as possible when he noticed her walking his direction. As she poured herself a cup of coffee, Johnny placed one hand on the wall just above the coffee machine and smiled when she glanced up at him.

"You're Traci, right?" he asked as he gave her his infamous lopsided grin.

Traci had spotted the good-looking paramedic leaning up against the nurses' station a couple of days before and decided the next time he was here she was going to meet him. "Yes I am. You must be Johnny Gage from Station 51?"

"Correct. I noticed you the other day when I was here with my partner but didn't have the time to introduce myself."

"I figured you had to be busy so I asked a couple of my fellow nurses just who you were and you know…they gave me quite an earful. I get the impression that you are the local Lothario of Rampart General," replied Traci with a flirtatious grin on her face.

"I don't think I would classify myself as that bad, but I do know a beautiful woman when I see one," countered Johnny as he attempted to flirt back with her but finding himself feeling uncomfortable doing it.

Traci couldn't resist and reached up to brush a lock of his dark brown hair away from the corner of his right eye. She let her hand linger a little longer than intended as she liked the feel of his hair against her skin. "So what time do you get done with your shift, Johnny?"

He tried not to laugh at her obvious interest. "Not until tomorrow morning. Why?"

She found it hard to keep the disappointment off her face. "Oh. I was kinda hoping I could talk you into joining me and some friends for a couple of drinks this evening."

He chuckled and told the young nurse that maybe another day they could get together for a drink. The two talked and flirted some more until Roy and Dixie came walking out of the treatment room. None of them saw Bree until it was too late.

Bree had just been called up to the ER for a blood draw in Treatment Room 3. Her heart contracted as she saw the new nurse, Traci, flirting with Johnny. She didn't think it would hit her as hard as it did. She did her best to look nonchalant about what she was seeing but it was hard.

Dixie felt conflicted, knowing her friend's heart was breaking with what she was witnessing and she wanted to hurt Johnny for being so callous. Little did any of them know that the decision to act was about to be taken out of their hands.

Traci hadn't seen the head nurse for the ER walk out of the treatment room when she decided to up the game a notch grabbing Johnny's face and kissing him. Both Dixie and Roy gasped out loud at the audacity of the girl but no one was prepared for the reaction that came from Bree.

"Oh good lord, get a room you two! This is a flipping ER, not a motel!" exclaimed Bree as she brushed by the couple on her way to the treatment room.

Both Johnny and Traci jumped apart, looking quite chagrined at what just happened in front of quite a few people. Dixie told Traci that she would be speaking with her later. Johnny looked down at the floor quite embarrassed that he allowed their flirting to go that far. He glanced up to see Roy shooting him a very dirty look and Dixie looked like she wanted to tan his hide.

The trip back to the station was a long one as for the first time in a long time, Roy went on what he called a 'Gage rant' about Johnny's treatment of Bree and wondering just what the heck he was up to. By the time they arrived at the station, they were not speaking at all and for the rest of the shift they were barely civil to each other which had their shift mates wondering how bad the falling out between the two was.

Bree felt bad that her supervisor had to finally tell her to go home as she could no longer concentrate on her work. All she could see in front of her was Johnny and the new ER nurse, Traci, kissing. When Jack, her supervisor, found her crying while holding the lab results for Treatment Room 3 in her hands, he gently took the paper from her and told her to go home.

She was at a loss over what to do when it dawned on her where to go. She jumped in her car and headed for Long Beach. She remembered that today the band, Dakota Dreaming, was holding rehearsals and tryouts for a new lead singer. She decided that she needed to get back to her roots…singing.

Sliding her car into the parking spot, she ran quickly into the club. It took her by surprise when she saw how many people were there to try out for the lead singer position with the band.

"Are you here for the tryouts?"

Bree jumped a bit and turned to see someone standing beside her. "Yeah, I am but it looks like everyone else is too."

"True but so far there has only been one or two who might fit the bill. Most of them are sticking around to listen to the competition," he said as he put his hand out to shake hers. "My name is Dave. I am the manager for the club and have been running interference for the tryouts. You are…?"

"Brenna Leigh," she replied.

"Do you have any experience with singing and playing in clubs?" he asked.

"Some, but I am more of a songwriter. I just thought it would be fun to try out."

They talked for a bit before Dave said he needed to go give her name to the man at the table next to the sound board. She smiled softly as she knew exactly what the reaction of the man at the table would have. As soon as he read the name on the paper given to him, he stood up so fast his chair tipped over. Bree looked at him from where she was standing and shook her head to let him know she wanted a turn at singing just like everyone else.

Dave walked back to her and said that she was the last one on the docket to sing. He still had a puzzled look on his face, remembering the color draining from the man's face when he read the name on the paper he gave him. He saw the look the two had exchanged and wondered if they knew each other from somewhere. Shaking the cobwebs from his head, he returned to behind the bar to get ready for the 5 p.m. crowd to show up in about 45 minutes.

Bree smiled as she listened to the other aspiring singers performing before her. She remembered the first time she sang before a crowd at the State Fair in Minnesota. She had been called to replace a group that failed to show and it was the start of something wonderful for her. Finally she heard her name being called and headed towards the stage.

"Hello, Brenna. My name is Jason and I am the band's manager. What do you plan on singing for us?"

She smiled at Jason and replied, "I will be singing, 'Tonight'."

Bree heard someone in the audience snicker and a few comments were made about how stupid it was to sing one of the songs by their former lead singer and she couldn't help but grin as if they only knew. Taking her place in front of the microphone, she smiled at the lead guitarist and waited for her cue to begin her choice of song. Looking out at the people waiting to hear her sing, she knew deep in her heart this is what was missing in her life.

The music began and she swayed to the beat as she began to sing.

If words could make it real

I'd tell you how I feel

Instead I'm waiting here on my knees love

I know how it feels to breathe

With you beside me

I think about it always

As she started the chorus, there was a collective groan throughout those who stayed behind to hear her sing. They knew she had the job in the bag. She had exactly what the song she chose needed, even though it had been sung first by the band's original lead singer. She had the heart and soul.

Jason kept his head down for most of Brenna's performance as he did not want her or the other performers to see his reaction…if they only knew who she really was. He had heard the comments and most of the others knew that more than likely she had the job. He knew she had the job the minute he saw her name on that slip of paper. He stood up and turned to all those who had auditioned.

"Thank you all for coming and sharing your talent with us. We will be going over our tapes and in a couple of days we will be letting one of you know about your new job. Again thanks for coming and have a nice afternoon."

The group of hopeful singers got up and dispersed. Jason turned to look for Bree and could not find her among those leaving. He glanced over at the band members still on the stage, asking them if they had seen her but they all told him no. Picking up the piece of paper with her name on it, he laughed as he saw what he had missed the first time…she had written her address and phone number on it, stating that she expected him and the band at her house for supper tonight.

Bree knew Mandy wanted her home earlier. After her audition last week and the band coming to their home that night, she had found herself with absolutely no time alone or any free time at all. She would leave work and run to the studio the band was working out of, not getting home until well after 11 p.m. On the days she wasn't rehearsing with the band, she would head to the beach for some solitude. During those times, she found herself wondering how Johnny was doing and if he had thought about her or their child at all. The only place she couldn't get herself to face were the San Gabriel Mountains and Angeles National Forest where she had been camping with Johnny…it was just too special of a place that she just couldn't bring herself to go there without him.

As she let herself into the foyer of her home, she thought about the night the band showed up at her home and Mandy's reaction to the whole story as Mandy knew that this was what her cousin really needed. Her cousin then explained the whole story to Bree about the audition, making sure she saw the advertisement in the paper. Bree knew when she had been played…they all wanted her back singing. She chuckled to herself as she knew they were right. She turned to reset the alarm to her home, tossing her keys on the table in the foyer as she walked towards the kitchen.

As she headed towards the kitchen she could hear her cousin softly talking to someone and wondered who was here. Then she heard a sound that had been missing for a long time from her life…an infant's cry, she ran into the kitchen and stared into the amber eyes of her daughter facing her over her cousin's shoulder. Mandy turned when she heard a cry of pure joy behind her and could feel the tears well up in her eyes as she saw the look on Bree's face. Without a second thought, she placed the child in Bree's arms and stepped back.

Bree held her daughter in her arms and just stared. She couldn't believe she was finally here. The child had grown much in the three months she had been in California. For how long she stood there, she didn't know…time stood still for her with her daughter where she belonged. Mandy softly placed her hand on Bree's arm and waited for her to acknowledge her presence. When she did, she placed the bottle in Bree's hand and left her to feed her daughter.

As she walked into the upstairs rec room, a voice asked her, "How did it go, daughter?"

"Wonderfully, Mom, just wonderfully," replied Mandy as she hugged her mother. "Sierra didn't cry, just stared at Bree in wonder. She's feeding her right now.

"Good. It's been too long that mother and child have been apart. I am so glad you called when you did. I only wish we could have gotten here sooner."

"It couldn't be helped, Mom. We needed Bree to realize that she wanted to be back in the world of music before we brought Sierra home."

The two women sat and talked while Bree bonded once again with her daughter. The only thing missing, she thought, is Johnny. She hugged her daughter and soaked in the smell of a child freshly bathed and powdered. Looking out the patio windows as dusk began to fall she gently rocked as she fed her daughter. Every once in a while, she had to hug her again just to make sure the weight in her arms was real and she wasn't dreaming.

An hour later, Mandy came back downstairs and found Bree asleep in the chair with her daughter safely snuggled in her arms. She gently touched her shoulder to slowly wake her up. As she slowly opened her eyes, Bree smiled at her cousin and gave the child to her to hold so she could get up without waking her.

Walking into her bedroom, she saw that her cousin had already set up the crib in her room so that Sierra would not be far from her. Telling Mandy thank you, she took her sleeping daughter once more and gently laid her down. As Mandy softly shut the door behind her, Bree sat down on the edge of her bed and watched her daughter sleep. It was minutes later before she succumbed to sleep herself.

It was a slow day for both Station 51 and Rampart's Emergency Room. Dixie had pretty much gotten the base station reorganized and restocked. She was caught up with her work schedules and now just finished cleaning out the coffee pot. As she was drying the pot, she realized just how bored she was when they were not busy.

Kel was in Treatment Room 4 with Roy, Johnny and the patient they had just brought in, someone who thought he could skateboard down the same hill his two young sons had just gone down. Big mistake he told them as he was brought in…totally missed the curve and hit the tree instead.

Roy stuck his head out of the treatment room and asked Dixie to come in. As she approached the door, Johnny came walking out and held it open for her. She smiled at him and he knew all was right between them again.

Johnny walked over to the station to wait for Roy and wondered just how he was going to get himself out of the predicament he was in. He had taken Roy's advice and went back to his life as it was before and now found himself meeting with the new nurse from the ER. She finally cornered him and got him to agree to meet her and a few of her friends at the Red Wolf this Saturday. He couldn't shake the guilty feeling that had plagued him for the past two weeks. His dream was also resurfacing more often and was now disrupting the sleep of his coworkers as well.

While he stood lost in his own thoughts, Roy and Dixie came out of Treatment Room 4 laughing at a joke that the patient had told them. Dixie looked up to see Johnny staring out into space and wondered what was up. She turned to Roy who shrugged his shoulders at the questioning look in her eyes as he had no clue what his erstwhile partner could be thinking about.

"Ready to head out, Junior?" asked Roy.

"Oh, hi," said Johnny as he glanced up. "How's the patient?"

"Telling jokes when we left," replied Dixie. "What's got you so deep in thought?"

"This and that," he said. "Just trying to work through a few problems at the moment and I just don't know where to turn next."

"It wouldn't have anything to do with a certain research assistant I know, would it?" asked Dixie.

Johnny looked at Dixie and replied a bit sarcastically, "What do you think?"

Dixie took the chart that was in her hand and swiped at Johnny who quickly stepped back out of her reach. "Don't be so snide with me, young man. My suggestion is don't think about it, do something about it! Good grief, Johnny, do you think she is going to wait forever for you? The way the rumor mill has it around here, you are giving a few of the nurses a run for their money."

"Seriously?" he asked. "I've only had the one nurse, Traci, chasing me…and I know I am guilty as charged of flirting with her. The other nurses, well, I've only talked to them."

"Well, that isn't what the rumor mill in this hospital is saying," Dixie retorted noting how Johnny flinched when she said that. "It's gotten to the point where I have told my nurses that if the gossiping doesn't stop, I am going to take action."

Johnny knew when Dixie puts her foot down the whole hospital trembles. He wondered how Bree was faring with all the gossip about him and asked, "How's Bree doing? I'm sure the rumors have hurt her."

"I don't know what anyone has told you, Johnny, but she tried to quit two weeks ago. Her supervisor talked her out of it and has been trying to help her out when she needs the time away," replied Dixie. She didn't tell him that she also knew what had happened between the two of them over a year ago. Bree had told her the whole story over lunch two days ago, not leaving out anything including the fact that she had given birth to Johnny's child. Dixie found it hard to believe that the dark-haired paramedic whom she knew loved children would not want to see his own.

"She tried to quit?" asked Johnny, looking visibly shaken at the thought that Bree was seriously considering quitting her job and leaving.

He glanced over at Roy who was looking down at the floor which led him to believe that his partner knew more about this than he was letting on. Before he could say another word, the radio went off next to him. Roy grabbed it and responded to the dispatcher who was just checking on their status.

Dr. Brackett came out of the treatment room with the patient, both were laughing at another joke the patient had told. He looked up and saw the paramedics were still there. He was heading in their direction when their radio went off again. This time it was to respond to a multiple car accident on the highway. Roy answered the dispatched and motioned to Johnny to follow him.

Just before he followed Roy, Johnny turned back and said, "Hey, I'm almost done with my house and will be moving into it in about two weeks. I am thinking of having a housewarming/Memorial Day celebration out at my place. So keep the day open as you all are invited."

Johnny stood outside the Red Wolf nervous about going in. He couldn't believe that he was as nervous as teenager about to embark on his first date. He knew it had nothing do with first dates or raging hormones…it was just that he felt like he was cheating on Bree and their child. Shaking his head, he squared his shoulders and went in to face the music.

Inside Traci was waiting her friends, feeling as nervous as Johnny. She knew what she had done was wrong, pressuring Johnny into meeting her for a drink and the only reason he was doing this was because she kept reminding him that he said they should meet for drinks another day the first time she asked him. So to keep it lighthearted and to make it look like it wasn't really a date, she had suggested that he meet her at the club here instead of picking her up.

Once inside, Johnny was relieved to see that it wasn't too packed yet. He spotted Traci and her friends right away but detoured to the bar to order a beer. While he waited for his beverage, he scouted around the place to see if there was anyone he knew. He was startled when he saw Mandy, Marco and Chet at a table on the other side of the club, almost directly across from where Traci's table was. Neither one of his coworkers had mentioned that they were going to be here.

He paid for his beer and walked over to Traci's table. "Hi, girls, sorry I'm late," he said as he sat down.

He could feel three pairs of eyes staring at him from across the room and was glad that he had the chair that kept his back to them. Traci smiled at him and slid her chair a little closer to him. Sharon and Sheila could do nothing but giggle every time they looked his direction.

Marco looked at Mandy and asked, "What the hell is he up to?"

"I have no clue, sweetheart, but I know one thing…he is going to be in for one big surprise tonight."

Chet just sat there and smiled devilishly. Now he had something on his pigeon that he could razz him about. He just wasn't sure if the woman sitting next to him was the one he talked about in his sleep or not.

Backstage, Bree stretched her muscles and slowly brought her heart rate to a normal rhythm. She had spent the last week rehearsing with the band and getting back into the groove of things. She felt she was home at last. Mandy and Marco were out in the audience and before they left, Mandy told her that a friend of Marco's from work was also joining them. Her aunt who had wanted to come and watch her perform offered to stay home and watch Sierra instead.

Jason walked up to Bree and asked, "How you feeling, cousin?"

She smiled up at him and replied, "Like I have come home. I have missed this but until now I never realized just how much."

"We've missed you too. It's nice to have you back. Now get out there and wow them like you used to." He gave her a quick hug before he left backstage and headed out to the club to watch the show.

The crowd started clapping as the band walked across the stage. As they warmed up their instruments, Bree stood off in the wings looking for Mandy and Marco. She spotted them off to the right of the stage about three tables back. She waited to hear the solo acoustic guitar riff from the first song they were going to perform…before she joined in from backstage.

Fire like lighting

Burning up the night

A smoke horizon

Won't give up the fight

As the rest of the band joined in, she walked out on stage singing the same verse again and smiling at the reaction of the crowd. She stood at the edge of the stage pouring her heart and soul into the song. Some of those who had auditioned with her were really amazed at how good she really was and knew that she had been right choice for the band to make.

Johnny had just sat back in his chair to listen to the song when he saw her walk on stage. His mouth dropped and he stared in utter shock. As he sat and watched Bree perform, he completely forgot who he was with. Traci watched Johnny's reaction to the girl singing on stage and wondered what had him so surprised.

When the first song ended, the band moved into the next song effortlessly and Bree's voice rose in strength as she joined in. As she glanced out at the crowd who filled the Red Wolf, she just about stumbled when she saw Johnny in the crowd…until she saw who he was with. Her anger simmered slowly beneath the surface of her skin.

She walked over to Jesse while she sang and when the verse ended and the backup singers took over, she whispered in his ear a change in the lineup and he shook his head that he understood.

"Oh this is not going to be good," said Mandy when she heard the beginning of the third song Bree would sing.

Marco turned to her and asked, "What's not good?"

"Bree wrote this song in two nights after her first meeting with Johnny back in March. It's not good."

As he listened to the lyrics, he had to agree with Mandy this did not bode well for Johnny, especially after Mandy finally clued him in on what happened between her cousin and his coworker. When he turned to say something else to his girlfriend, Marco noticed Chet had left the table and was heading towards Johnny and the girls he was sitting with.

"You think Johnny is not going to like the song," he said to Mandy as he turned her head in the direction Chet was heading. "Wait until he notices Chet sitting down at his table."

Traci had finally been able to get Johnny's attention after she flicked some water into his face. He turned and apologized for spacing out like that. She was trying her hardest to keep his attention focused on her but ever since he arrived, she noticed he didn't seem to be enjoying himself.

Just when Johnny thought the evening couldn't get any more complicated, Chet sat down at their table.

"Hey, Gage, aren't you going to introduce me to your friends?" he asked.

"Where the hell did you come from, Chet?"

"My mother," Chet retorted. "What put you in such a bad mood, Gage?"

"Your presence," was Johnny's reply.

The two bantered back and forth before Johnny finally gave up and introduced Chet to Traci and her two friends. At first the girls weren't too sure about the guys when they started to go back and forth at each other but quickly realized this was the norm for the two of them. Chet kept eyeballing Sheila before he finally got up the courage to ask her to dance. Sheila, in turn, found the stocky Irishman kind of attractive in a kooky but funny way and was in the mood to dance. The two of them ran for the dance floor.

As he listened to Bree sing, Johnny realized he just didn't want to be there…at least not with Traci. He turned to say something to the girl to let her know he needed to go and was surprised when she told him that she hoped to see him again at Rampart. He apologized for his manners and said that he was sorry that he wasn't good company that night.

Bree watched Johnny leave the club without Traci and wondered why. She knew he was surprised when he saw her walk on stage and she knew he didn't understand the third song of that set was directed at him. Ever the professional, Bree put her personal thoughts back into the vault and continued enjoying her return to music.

Dixie was humming to herself softly as she came out of the treatment room. Roy and Johnny had brought in a MVA patient who luckily only suffered bruises and a sprained wrist. Before they even had a chance to give the doctor the new set of vitals, their HT went off sending them out to a fire in the warehouse district. Johnny had literally thrown the paper with the patient's vitals on it at Dixie and took off running after his partner.

Dr. Morton was with the patient now going over some discharge information. She stopped long enough at the base station to let Carol know that she was going to take a quick break in the staff lounge. Upon entering the lounge, she noticed Traci and Sharon were also taking their breaks.

Sharon looked up and said hi to Dixie, but Traci continued to concentrate on the paper in front of her. When Sharon kicked her under the table, she looked up and gave an absentminded hi to Dixie, resuming her perusal of the newspaper.

Grabbing a cup of coffee, Dixie sat down and was talking with Sharon about some changes that they were going to make in the ER. All of a sudden Traci threw the newspaper over the tops of their heads and stormed out of the lounge. Both Dixie and Sharon looked at the blonde nurse as she stomped out wondering what had her so upset.

Dixie got up to retrieve the newspaper from the floor when she noticed an article in the Variety section of the paper that talked about the singer at the Red Wolf in Long Beach, California. What caught her attention was the article entitled" Is she or isn't she?" The article talked about the new singer for the band, Dakota Dreaming, and went on to speculate if she was the new "Bree Montgomery" for the band.

_As this writer listened to the young woman singing her heart out on stage,_

_I wondered if she would be able to fill Bree Montgomery's shoes. It seemed like_

_the girl had the right stuff, but still one wonders what would have been if Bree_

_Montgomery had stayed in the business._

_Bree Montgomery exploded onto the country music scene in 1970_

_as a 17-year-old phenomenon catching the attention of the world with_

_her mixed style of country and rock. But as fast as her star rose, it also_

_brought with it…heartbreak. In 1974, shortly before she finished a national_

_tour, her parents and grandparents perished in a motor vehicle accident_

_on their way to see her perform for the first time at the Grand Old Opry._

_For the young singer, it meant the end. She took time for herself to_

_recover from the devastating loss but a short time after she returned to_

_Nashville, she told her band, her managers and her crew that she was_

_done with singing, no explanation, no nothing…just that she was done._

_My question is as I watch this new singer, is she or isn't she? The_

_girl looks a lot like Bree Montgomery but only with blonde hair instead_

_of her customary reddish gold. Did she change her hair color for a_

_comeback or is this just a very good lookalike. I am sending out_

_this request to all you fans of Bree Montgomery and her band, Dakota_

_Dreaming…do you know this young woman and is she who I_

_think she is?_

_Give me a call at the Los Angeles Times and ask for Variety reporter, Dana Reese._

_We all love a good mystery…let's see if we can solve this one._

Dixie just about died when she saw the picture of Brenna singing at the bottom of the article written by this Dana

"Sharon, has anybody been talking about this article?"

Glancing at the article in question, she replied, "They sure have, Miss McCall. It's pretty much the main topic of gossip…everyone is trying to figure out if she is or isn't Bree Montgomery. Personally, I think it is just a publicity stunt so that more clientele frequent the club."

"Good. Let's keep it that way," stated Dixie.

Sharon got up and rinsed her coffee cup, saying goodbye to Dixie. After Sharon left the room, Dixie jumped up and called the lab downstairs.

"I need to speak to Brenna Leigh, ASAP!" ordered Dixie.

She could hear someone in the background yell for Brenna, telling her in a sing-song voice that she was in trouble with the head nurse in the ER. Brenna was laughing as she knew she hadn't done any labs for the ER so it had to be something else.

"Good Morning, Dixie," said Bree. "What's up?"

"Have you seen this morning's edition yet?"

"No, why?" she asked, puzzled as to why Dixie sounded a bit stressed.

"Can you take a quick break and join me in the staff lounge?"

Bree turned to the lab supervisor and asked if she could run upstairs to the ER to meet with Dixie. Joe smiled at his assistant and told her to go as he didn't want to get on Dixie's bad side today.

Checking to make sure the project she was working on was okay, she turned it over to the other lab assistant and headed upstairs to check on her friend. She noticed Traci standing by the base station talking with Sharon and could tell it was a pretty heated discussion by the way the blonde haired nurse's body language.

Opening the door to the lounge, she spotted Dixie pacing back and forth with a newspaper in her hand.

"Read this!" the head nurse said as she shoved the paper into Bree's hands.

Bree sat down as she read the article Dixie had placed in her hands. She chuckled silently to herself as she finished it, knowing exactly what was running through Dixie's mind. She knew the head nurse was worried about what would happen in Rampart should the press catch wind that she was working here.

"Dixie, I wouldn't worry about it too much. I don't think anyone will recognize me as the singer in the band. I spend more time in the lab than I do anywhere else in this facility."

"You don't know that for sure, Bree. From reading that article, I think everyone and their mother is going to show up at the club to see if they can recognize the new lead singer," stated Dixie. "They sure are talking about it here and I don't think it will take them that long to put two and two together."

Bree looked up at Dixie, who had started to pace in the lounge, and said, "Let's just play it by ear, friend. I am not going to worry about it now. I have other things on my mind than an article from some reporter who is more than likely trying to make a bigger name for herself."

Glancing at the clock, Bree told Dixie she needed to get back downstairs and finish up her project for the day. Promising to keep an ear open for any gossip, Bree left the lounge and let Dixie sit and stew about possible scenarios should someone tip-off the LA Time reporter about where Bree worked.

By late afternoon things had finally started slowing down for Squad 51. Roy and Johnny were worn out. For most of the morning and a good part of the afternoon, they would no sooner get one patient dropped off at Rampart's ER when they would be sent right back out on another call. As Roy backed the squad into the bay, Johnny leaned his head back and released a long sigh of relief to be back at the station.

Walking into the dayroom, Mike told them that he had their lunch warming in the oven. Roy grabbed a couple of pot holders to pull out their plates while Johnny grabbed some glasses and got the milk out of the fridge. The two paramedics were able to eat in companionable silence before Chet finally jumped in to stir up the pot.

"Hey, Gage, how come you took off so early Friday night? Sheila and I came back to find Traci sitting all by herself. Was Traci not to your liking or did the singer in the band sound awful to someone who prefers rock and roll?"

Speaking around a mouth full of food, Johnny retorted, "How do you know what I like and dislike, Kelly? Just cause I didn't stick around to watch you make an idiot of yourself doesn't mean I didn't like the music!"

"Right, Gage. Maybe Traci couldn't put up with you…after all most of the nurses at Rampart do have you pegged for a non-commitment type of guy."

"Stuff it, Kelly. I just wasn't feeling up to being out last night. It had nothing to do with Traci or her friends. Did you ever think I didn't want to put up with you?"

The look on Chet's face caused Roy to almost choke on the mouthful of milk he was trying to swallow. For once, Johnny got Chet to shut up first but you could still see the wheels turning in Chet's mind as he tried to come up with a snappy retort. What he said next got them all to listen.

"Have you read the article in the paper on that new singer from the club, Gage?" asked Chet with an innocent smile on his face.

Johnny turned and said, "What article?"

"The one in the LA Times Variety Page, of course. The reporter is asking if the new lead singer is a replacement or is actually Bree Montgomery herself in disguise."

Johnny reached out and grabbed the variety section right out of Mike's hands. As he read it, the guys could see the anger rise up on his face. Roy reached over and placed a hand on Johnny's shoulder who only shrugged it off as he threw the paper back at Mike.

"Cap, can I use the phone in your office?" asked Johnny as he headed out the door, not even waiting for a reply from his commanding officer.

Hank looked over at Roy and asked, "What is that all about?"

"Cap, I wish I could tell you but it's a story that only Johnny can tell. What I do know is that more than likely that reporter is going to wish she hadn't asked all her readers to hunt for this singer."

Chet just sat and listened to their conversation. He waited a minute or two and then got up to go and eavesdrop on Johnny's conversation. He just about made it to the door when he was stopped by a command.

"Kelly, I do not recommend you go any further than you have unless you want latrine duty for the next two months. Understood?"

"Yes, Cap, but come on. I haven't had this much fun…"

"Kelly!"

Chet turned around and sat back down, picking up the sports section and tried to read but his mind kept drifting towards the captain's office.

Sitting down in the captain's chair, Johnny stared at the phone before he picked it up. What was he going to say to her, he thought. He hadn't tried calling her once since that Sunday when he ordered to leave his home. He had seen her no more than two times here at Rampart, once in an embarrassing situation. But since then it was like she didn't work there anymore.

As he waited to be connected to the lab, he thought more about the past four weeks and his lack of initiative to contact Bree. He was still finding it hard to deal with the fact that she had not tried to contact him at all when she found out about the pregnancy nor did she attempt to find him right away after the birth. The more he thought about, the more he didn't want to talk at that moment. Before he heard the voice on the other end of the line he hung up.

Exiting the captain's office, Johnny all but ran over Roy who was standing right outside the door.

"Roy, what were you doing…eavesdropping?"

"No, Junior, I leave the eavesdropping for Chet. I just wanted to make sure you were okay," he replied.

"I'm fine, Roy. I had thought about talking to Bree about the article but as I waited, I just didn't know what I would say to her so I hung up. Am I being ridiculous?"

"I'm not going to answer that question, only you can. Like I told you before, Johnny, this is going to take time. You need to work it out in your own mind and come to terms with it before you can have a decent conversation with Bree. Don't push it. Okay?"

Johnny smiled at Roy and said, "Okay, pally. I think I'm gonna just go out back for a while and think."

The two parted ways. Johnny found himself climbing to the top of the hose tower to try to sort out his jumbled feelings. He knew he wanted to be a part of his child's life and wanted to watch him or her grow. He also knew he still had deep feelings for Bree but he was finding it hard to get past her lies and the fact that she had not the backbone to call him when she knew she was carrying his child.

While he sat on top of the hose tower, he had no idea he was being watched from across the street.

_He watched 'fire boy' climb up the tall tower in the back of the station where he worked. He couldn't help but smile as he now knew where he worked and what his actual name was. Johnny was what the reddish blond-haired man called him. So now his rival had a name but he still thought of him as 'fire boy'. As he watched him sit on top of the tower, he finished reading the article in the LA Times Variety Page. She had gone back to singing and he was betting that 'fire boy' wasn't too thrilled about it. He didn't care. He knew where she lived, where she worked and where she was singing. Now he knew where 'fire boy, Johnny' lived and worked and he also knew who he worked with. Now it was time to start the game._

_He felt lost as he wandered through the rooms alone. The darkness enveloped him and intensified that feeling. He stopped and let his senses take over in the darkness, hoping they would lead him out of the abyss. He sensed her presence before he smelled her perfume._

_"Bree?" he asked. "Please tell that is you here with me."_

_"Yes, Johnny, it is I."_

_He could hear the sorrow in her voice, the pain. He turned in the direction her voice came from and tried to see her but the light was not there. He couldn't understand why the light had gone from her._

_"I can't wait much longer, Johnny. The tie that binds us together is unraveling. I need you."_

_"I don't understand…what tie? Has this been you in my dreams all along?"_

_"Yes, Johnny. You and I have a connection…one that we did not realize when we first met. It strengthened and bound us when we made love. The child strengthened it."_

_"But why is it unraveling?" he asked as he used his sense of smell to locate her._

_"Because of your fear…because you doubt my love. You need to decide what it is that you fear the most…I made the mistake of leaving you once and I'm afraid I've returned too late to save us."_

_Just as Johnny thought he located Bree…she was gone. He screamed her name in frustration…_

Johnny sat up in bed, once again sweating and gasping for breath. He swung his legs over the edge of the bed and looked around the room he had slept in for the last time. He noticed the clock said it was only 6:30 a.m. Rubbing the sleep from his eyes, he walked into the bathroom. He figured as long as he was up he might as well take a shower and get ready before everyone shows up to help him move.

As he let the warm water run over him, he wondered what she meant by what he feared the most. His thoughts ran wild through his mind as he tried to solve this puzzle. When he first kissed Bree, even before they really knew each other, he felt an instant connection…a pull towards her. He knew she felt the same because of how she looked at him when he ended the kiss. Rinsing the shampoo out of his hair, he thought of the three days they spent camping in the San Gabriel Mountains. It had surprised him when she suggested hiking in the forest and camping for three of the four days she was going to be here.

Stepping out of the shower, he chuckled as he remembered when he had talked her into skinny dipping for the first time. Granted it was December and the water was very cool but at the time he really needed to cool off. The area he took her to happened to be in a secluded part of the park. It took a little coaxing on his part, but once she got over the shock of the cold water, she had a blast. He smiled pensively as he thought of how that swim ended. It started out innocently enough…she caught him in the face with a huge splash of water. He in turn dived underneath and grabbed her by the ankles, pulling her under. As she came up coughing and sputtering, he pulled her towards him to help get the water she swallowed to come up. He went to place his hand on her back…but she turned towards him and instead his hand came to rest upon her breast.

Johnny smiled to himself as the memories washed over him. She had never let on that she was a virgin, untouched as his aunt would have said. He remembered her response to his touch. He had tried to quickly remove his hand but instead she placed hers over the top of his and with her other hand she pulled him towards her for a long, deep kiss. The passion he felt led him to believe she was experienced.

Walking towards his bedroom, Johnny let himself get lost in the memories of being with Bree in the woods. He reached into his closet, grabbing his jeans. As he reached for a shirt, he spotted the one he remembered wearing that day. He took it out of the closet and sat on the edge of his bed and let himself remember.

_"Bree," said Johnny as he wrapped his arms around her to keep her from floating away from him. "Let's go back to the tent. For what I want to do to you, I would prefer privacy."_

_She chuckled as she could feel_exactly_what he wanted to do to her. "Are you sure you don't want to try it underwater?"_

_"Girl, when I make love to you, I want you all to myself. I refuse to share you even with Mother Nature, Father Sun or the Man on the Moon."_

_Bree giggled, gave him a push and began to swim rapidly towards the shore. It didn't take him long to catch up with her. "Sweetheart, I have longer arms and longer legs than you so beating me in a race won't work."_

_Her laughter rang out as she stood up in the water and walked towards the shore. The girl had no shame in her nudity…she was proud of her body. Johnny watched in appreciation as she stood at the edge of the water waiting for him. Her beauty surpassed her surroundings. She smiled at him as he walked towards her. With a giggle, she bolted for the tent just beyond the trees, looking back to make sure he was still following. He quickly picked up the pace as he collected their clothing on the beach. Entering the trees, he saw she had left the opening to the tent unzipped. He pushed the flap aside and sucked in his breath at what he saw inside._

_"Are you just going to stand there or are you going to come in and warm me up?" she asked seductively, looking up at him from a reclining position on the blankets._

_He entered and turned to zip up the tent. She had opened the vents slightly on either side to allow for a breeze to enter the interior of the tent. He knelt beside her, taking her hands in his and raising her up to kneel in front of him. Gently he began to caress her body, brushing his hands ever so lightly against her skin causing her to shiver in response. Looking into her eyes, he captured her lips with his, invoking an even stronger response from her. Without breaking off the kiss, she returned his caresses with some of her own. His response to her caress was to softly nip her bottom lip and then begin a series of kisses down her neck. She arched her back in response to this caress._

_As he continued his trail of kisses, he couldn't believe how passionate she was, no shyness, just a willingness to share all of herself. Stopping his kisses only for a moment, he gently helped her to lie back on the blankets and continued with his kisses., arching her back once more as she felt the passion he was invoking rise from deep within her_

_When he knew he could no longer hold back his own passion if he didn't join with her, he raised himself up over her body. He stopped himself as he realized she had never done this before and asked, "Bree, why didn't you tell me?_

_"What…that I hadn't been with a man before? Johnny, I was always taught to save myself for the man meant for me. I did…you are the one."_

_"Bree, are you sure this is what you want? I mean, what if…"_

_She never let him finish his sentence. She grabbed his hips, arched her back and knew she had done the right thing. She looked into his eyes and slowly moved her hips against his and felt him begin the dance of love with her._

Slowly he became aware of a ringing in his ears and realized it was his phone.

"Hello?"

Roy was on the other end of the receiver letting him know that he and the guys were on the way over to help him move his belongings to his new home. After he finished talking to Roy, he started getting some of his things ready before the guys arrived. As he packed he thought again of the decision he made to follow Roy's advice and continue with life before Bree had returned.

He had tried to get back to his old ways and found it not to be to his liking anymore. He had been flirting with one nurse in particular and wound up meeting her at the Red Wolf one night. It didn't turn out how either one of them wanted it to. On top of that, Bree was now singing with the band at the Red Wolf and he learned about it that night.

Johnny was so deep in thought that he never heard the doorbell of his apartment ring or when the door opened up as Roy used the key Johnny had given to let himself in.

"Junior, are you going to sit there and stare into space all day?" asked Roy.

Johnny shook his head as Roy's question broke through to him. He had completely been lost in time and didn't realize someone had shown up.

"Again…what the heck has you so far out into space?"

"Just remembering, Roy, just remembering," said Johnny. "Hey, where's the rest of the gang?"

"They aren't that far behind me. We decided to bring my truck and Mike's just in case. I will ask this once again, what were you thinking about that had you total oblivious to my knock on the door?"

"I was thinking about that little incident over a month ago and how I really need to find Bree. I have a lot of making up to do and not a lot of time left to do it in. I just wish I knew where she was."

Roy figured it was time to come clean with his partner. "Johnny…"

"You know something, don't you?" asked Johnny.

"Yeah, I kind of do," replied Roy.

The two walked out into the living room. Roy sat down while Johnny went and grabbed a glass of water, asking Roy if he wanted one too. Handing Roy his glass, Johnny sat down opposite of him.

"So, fire away, Roy. What do you know?"

"Just remember, I wanted to tell you but my wife wouldn't let me," he said as Johnny nodded his head. "Bree wanted to quit Rampart because she couldn't bear running into you and thinking that you hate her for what happened."

"I don't hate her, Roy," stated Johnny.

"Well, think about it, Junior. Have you tried to contact her at all since she told you the truth about herself and the fact that the two of you have a child? No. She and Joanne have gotten together a few times for lunch and have become quite good friends. She confides in Joanne, knowing that Joanne doesn't hide things from me but that I won't break her confidence either."

"Roy, what is going on?" he asked.

By asking that question, Roy knew Johnny was finally coming to terms with what he learned about Bree and the fact that they have a child together. "As you know from what Dixie told you that one day, Bree's supervisor talked her out of quitting so that shows she is considered a valued employee even after only a few months of working there. From what she has told Joanne, she has no intention of ever leaving California. And you know that she is back singing, and in fact is looking for a studio she could start recording at."

Roy stood up and looked out the window then back at his friend. "Johnny, she sold her home in Nashville and is going to reside permanently in California. Like I said, she has no intention of leaving and hopes someday that you can forgive her. Personally, Junior, I think you are an idiot for sitting on your thumbs. If you don't do something soon, you are going to lose her."

Johnny's head came up and he looked Roy right in the eye, saying, "I know…I've been an idiot. She's the woman I have been dreaming about…always has been. In my dream, she asked me what the one thing was that I feared the most. I figured it out, or at least I think I have it figured out...I'm afraid of losing her again. Roy, I don't want to lose her. I want her in my life. I want to meet my child and watch him or her grow up."

"Well, Johnny, then I think you'd better get cracking and figure out how you're going to find her because the one thing I swore I wouldn't tell you is where she lives. Both she and Joanne made me swear on the bible I wouldn't."

"Don't worry, Roy. I think I know just the person who didn't have to swear not to tell."

The two friends talked a bit longer while waiting for the others to show up. As they talked, they took the bedding and mattress/box spring off the bed and took the bed apart. By the time the rest of the gang showed up, they had everything ready to be loaded to head out to Johnny's new home.

As he looked around the place for the last time, he smiled at the good memories he had in this place and was looking forward to making new memories at his new home. He shut the door behind him, making sure it was locked and stopped by his landlord's office to drop off his keys.

Mrs. Anderson told Johnny she would miss him and gave him a hug, along with a batch of his favorite cookies, chocolate chip, still warm from the oven. She said they were a housewarming gift for his new place. He told her he would be back to clean the apartment in a couple of days, but she wouldn't hear of it. She told him that she would take care of it as she knows he has a busy schedule as a firefighter-paramedic. He gave the landlady a kiss on the cheek and left.

In no time at all, the guys arrived at Johnny's ranch and had the trucks unloaded. After about an hour, they had the beds put back together and everything where it needed to be.

Chet looked around the great room and said, "Johnny, I think you need more furniture."

Johnny looked around. "I agree, Chet. It's a little sparse in here. But, hey I've got time to fill it up. Come on, let's go outside with the rest and see if the coals are ready for supper."

Hank, captain of Station 51, was just throwing the burgers on the grill when Johnny and Chet walked outside. Marco had the fixings for the burgers, chips, etc. all set up on the table. Mike and Roy were lounging in the chairs, drinking a beer. Roy opened up the cooler next to him and tossed one at Johnny, then at Chet.

The guys relaxed, telling jokes and laughing at some of the crazier rescues it seems they had been doing lately. They started comparing them to some of the ones they experienced the first year that Station 51 had been in service. One that Johnny remembered vividly was the first child he ever delivered after being certified as a paramedic. He smiled wistfully as he retold the story.

Hank broke in with "Burgers are done!" The guys scrambled to grab a plate and jostled each other to see who would get to be first in line. The captain just shook his head and laughingly called them all twits.

Chet was watching Johnny and noticed he was just kind of toying with his food, not wolfing it down like he usually does. Of course, he hadn't forgotten the day the two paramedics hadn't been on speaking terms. He just knew that it had to do something with the mystery woman in Gage's life, but that it wasn't woman he saw Gage with at the club that one night. So he was not about to let the opportunity to needle him get away.

"What's got you off your feed, Johnny?" he asked.

When Johnny didn't look up in response to his question, Chet decided to try a different tactic. "So did that pretty nurse I saw you with at the club turn you down again, Gage? Maybe she thought she could do better, huh?"

"Get bent, Chet," retorted Johnny as he finally looked up at him. "You are so far off base that the search dogs aren't even able to find you."

"Whoa! She must have really dented your pride, Gage, if that's the best insult you can give me," said Chet as he chuckled. "Maybe you should reintroduce her to me so I can show her who the better man is."

Chet kept chuckling as Johnny rolled his eyes at him. Roy just sat back and looked over at Mike, Marco and the Captain as they sat back to relax and watch the side show these two were putting on.

"Not really, Chet," replied Johnny. "You see, she told me that tall, dark and handsome are what she likes. Short, curly-haired Irishmen remind her of leprechauns and that really creeps her out."

As the verbal sparring continued, the guys sat back to enjoy the nice spring evening and laugh at the antics of Chet and Johnny. A little while later, the men headed out, leaving Johnny alone in his new house. He wandered around the house for a bit and then headed back outside. Leaning against one of the patio columns, he gazed up towards the San Gabriel Mountains looming behind his home.

When he had first started searching for a home, he couldn't figure out what was drawing him to this area. He had contacted a realtor and had told him that he wanted to specifically look in the foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains. Two days after talking to the realtor, he was called and told of a ranch up for sale in the very area he was interested in. All it took was one look and he was hooked. The realtor told him the owners had perished in an automobile accident last year and that the family had already removed personal belongings and donated the rest.

Now as he glanced up at the mountains, Johnny realized that the reason this area was special to him was because of Bree. They had only spent three short days together but in that time she had wormed her way into his heart and left a lasting impression. Her last words to him when she left this place over four weeks ago were that she had loved him from the beginning and that she would be waiting for him to forgive her for what she had never told him about in the first place.

While Johnny contemplated events of the past three and a half weeks, the object of his thoughts was sitting in his driveway wondering what possessed her to come out here. She chuckled as she thought about Mandy's reaction when she put her daughter in her car seat and headed out to the car.

"_Where are you heading to, Bree?" asked Mandy as she noticed her cousin packing her daughter's diaper bag._

_Looking up from her task, Bree replied, "I am tired of waiting for him to make up his mind about what he wants to do. It's time I took matters into my own hands and help him along."_

"_Poor Johnny…he's not going to know what hit him," said Mandy laughingly. "Seriously though, cousin, are you sure this is what you want to do…force him to make a decision."_

"_Not really, but if I don't do something I'm going to go crazy. I just hope I'm not wrong in what I feel. I am only following my intuition."_

_Hugging her cousin, she said, "I hope it works out for you. And if not, we will just have to show him what he lost."_

_Mandy carried the diaper bag out to the car while Bree put her daughter's car seat in its holder and strapped her in. She wished Bree good luck and watched as they pulled out of the driveway._

Bree shook her head to clear the memory and got out of the car. Unhooking the car seat from the holder, she gently lifted the seat out and quietly shut the door. Her daughter slept the whole way out there and she was hoping that she would sleep a little bit longer.

Walking up to the front door, she prayed that it was unlocked, sighing with relief as it opened when she turned the handle. Quietly shutting it behind her, she softly walked through the foyer to the great room. She wasn't sure what kind of reception she would receive but she hoped it would be congenial. She noticed Johnny outside leaning against the patio column and smiled at the picture he made standing there in the shadows.

Placing her daughter's car seat next to the couch, she checked to see if she was still sleeping before she went to see Johnny. She stood at the door for a few seconds watching him before she walked through it.

As he stood looking up towards the mountains, Johnny got the feeling he was being watched. He turned around and was surprised as he watched Bree walk onto the patio. She glanced at him and tentatively smiled as if she was unsure if she would even be welcomed by him. Standing there, staring at each other and not knowing quite what to do, Bree kept telling herself not to cry. Johnny finally stepped forward and opened his arms to her. She ran into them and let loose the tears she had been holding back.

Johnny slowly knelt to the ground, not letting go of Bree as she cried her heart out in his arms. He could hear her saying over and over between sobs how sorry she was and if she could do it all over again, she would've said to hell with her reputation and returned to him. When he felt that her sobs were subsiding, he released his hold on her a bit. Raising her chin up to face him, Johnny cupped her face with his hands and used his thumbs to softly wipe away the lingering tears near the corners of her eyes.

"Don't cry anymore, Bree," said Johnny. "I'm sorry also for how I reacted to what you had to tell me. I should've tried to understand better and talked about it with you, but instead I sent you away…"

Bree placed her fingers on his lips, saying, "Johnny, I don't blame you for your reaction. It was only natural. I only wish that I would have had more of a backbone at the time and worried less about my reputation, thinking more about your feelings."

He tightened his arms around her, breathing in her scent. "All I know, sweetheart, is I have no plans of ever letting you go again. You are mine and I want you to be a part of my life."

She smiled as she heard him say that, replying, "I agree with that…you are also mine. But before we go any farther with this, we need to talk about happenings between us."

"What do you mean…happenings?" he asked, not sure what she meant.

"I believe we have started out quite backwards in our relationship," replied Bree. "Most couples meet, date, get engaged, marry and then have kids. We started out the other way. I think we need to see exactly what each of us wants and go from there."

"So what do you have in mind?" he asked her.

She smiled and said, "Right now, I have someone I would like you to meet. It has been a long time in the making and it's about time it happened."

His head snapped up. She could see the question in his eyes. Johnny could feel his heart race in anticipation of what she was telling him, but he had to ask anyway. "The baby came with you?"

"Yes, Johnny. Our child came with me," she said softly as she took his hand and led him back into his home.

Walking over to the side of the couch where she had left the carrier, she knelt beside it and pulled Johnny down with her. She pulled back the cover of the baby carrier and turned to Johnny, saying, "I would like you to meet your daughter, Johnny."

He stared in wonder at the little girl lying in the car seat. She is so tiny, he thought. He reached out with one finger to softly brush her cheek and was amazed when she opened her eyes and stared right back at him…with his own eyes. In that one look, she had stolen his heart, just like her mother. Johnny could feel the tears filling his eyes, threatening to spill over and down his cheeks. He unhooked the clasp of the belt that held his child in the car seat and picked her up.

Bree sat back and watched as Johnny bonded with his daughter. She could feel the tears streaming down her cheeks but did nothing to stop them. This is what she had been waiting for, ever since she gave birth.

She watched as he stood up and slowly walked with his child in his arms. She could hear him talking to her in a language she did not understand but knew that what he was saying could only be terms of endearment meant for their daughter.

Johnny couldn't believe that this tiny bundle in his arms was his. He spoke to her in the language of his people, welcoming her to his home and into his life. He promised her that he would protect her, comfort her, take care of her and shelter her for the whole of her life. He stopped their walk as he reached the end of the patio. He held his daughter close to him and shared with her the beauty of the mountains within their reach.

He sensed Bree walking up beside him and shifted their daughter to his other arm and placed his free arm around her, pulling her close to his side. No words were needed for what he felt.

"Would you like to know her name?" she asked.

"Yes, I would," replied Johnny.

"Her name is Sierra…Sierra Rose Gage," stated Bree. "I did not know your mother's name but I remember you talking about your Aunt Rosemary, so I gave her Rose as her middle name to honor your aunt."

He looked down at the woman by his side and said, "I like it. It suits our daughter just fine. But why did you pick the name of Sierra?"

Bree blushed and said, "I wanted to give her a name that meant a lot to me and would bring you closer to me, but I do not like the name of Gabrielle…as in the San Gabriel Mountains where our daughter was conceived. Sierra fit so much better."

He chuckled and hugged her closer to him. He once again looked down at his daughter nestled in his arms and could see she also had his unruly hair and her mother's slender nose and full mouth. He could tell already that he was going to have to protect her from the boys. As a chill was settling in for the night, Johnny walked his two beautiful ladies back into the house and closed the doors.

Bree warmed up a bottle for Sierra and once she was comfortable on the couch, Johnny placed their daughter in her arms. He sat down next to her and continued to gaze as his child. Every so often he would brush the back of his hand or a finger against her cheek as if to make sure she was real. As he watched Bree feed their daughter, he finally realized that this is what he had been missing all along.

"Bree, can I ask you something?" asked Johnny.

She looked up from their daughter and said, "Go ahead."

"Would you be willing to…um…spend the night here with me?" he asked suddenly feeling shy about asking her.

She couldn't help but smile as she noticed his hesitancy. "We would love to spend the night with you, Johnny," replied Bree as she heard his sigh of relief at her answer.

"I'll go find something for Sierra to sleep in that will keep her protected," said Johnny as he started to rise from the couch.

"You don't need to do that, Johnny. I have what we need in the trunk of my car." He gave her a very surprised look as he turned around. "I was half hoping that you would ask us to stay…so I put the essentials in the trunk of the car just in case."

Johnny couldn't help but chuckle at the sheepish grin on Bree's face that somehow seemed to fit with the blush creeping up her cheeks. He leaned down to kiss her softly and asked her where her car keys were. Still gazing into his eyes, she told him they were next to her purse on the island in the kitchen.

Placing a kiss on his daughter's forehead, Johnny walked over, grabbed Bree's car keys and said he would be right back. He knew that this was what he needed to do…to let Bree and their daughter into his life. He couldn't see denying what he was feeling anymore now that he was ready to admit it to himself…he was in love with Bree and had been all the time. He put in the key in the lock and opened up the trunk. What he saw made him laugh as Bree packed enough items for a small army.

As he reached into the trunk to begin unloading the items belonging to his small daughter, he thought he could hear a car coming up the driveway. Straightening up from the trunk, he turned but saw nothing so he assumed he was hearing things. Once more reaching into the trunk, he grabbed the two packages of diapers and a smaller suitcase, placing them on the ground next to the car. He then pulled out what he assumed was a portable crib/playpen for Sierra.

Realizing that he had enough to fill his hands, he grasped the crib in one hand and reached down to grab the diapers and suitcase. He still had the feeling he was being watched but shook it off as nerves and excitement for having Bree and their daughter finally here.

_He watched Johnny walk into the house from the shadows of the trees lining the driveway. He couldn't believe his luck this morning when he showed up near the apartment complex where he lived and found him in the process of moving. He had waited patiently down the street for them to head down the road and followed them out to the ranch. Memorizing the location of the ranch, he began to devise a plan to come back later and take care of this guy._

"Bree, how much more stuff does a person need for a child?" shouted Johnny as he walked back into the house.

She chuckled as she stood up with Sierra and shifted the child to her shoulder to coax a burp out of her, walking out to the foyer to talk with Johnny. "For all the times you have been around Roy and Joanne's children, have you never seen how much stuff they cart around?"

"Their kids are a bit older. I never realized babies needed so much stuff," he replied as he set the diapers, suitcase and crib down just inside the foyer. "It looks like you packed enough for a small army in your trunk."

Just as Bree was going to reply to Johnny's statement, their daughter burped rather loudly. Johnny laughed and replied, "Gee, Bree, I didn't think you were that comfortable around me to let loose like that."

"Funny, smart aleck," retorted Bree. "Your daughter takes after you in this as I believe I have better manners than that."

The couple kept up the banter as they walked back outside so Johnny could retrieve the rest of the items that Bree had brought with her. Chuckling at something Bree had said to him, Johnny reached into the trunk to get Bree's suitcase.

_The person in the tree line cursed silently to himself as he spotted Bree standing alongside 'fire boy' as it put a crimp into what he had planned for the man. When he discovered his new home was in a remote location, he congratulated himself on his good fortune as it would make his job so much easier. What he hadn't counted on was the object of his affection also being there. He realized he would have bide his time until he could get his target alone._

Shutting the trunk, Johnny reached out to Bree and pulled her close to him as they walked back towards the house. They both turned when they heard the gravel flying out on the road just beyond the driveway. Bree looked at Johnny who shrugged his shoulders indicating he had no clue what that was all about.

Bree helped Johnny set up the portable crib in his bedroom, showing him the right way to do it as he was finding it difficult to figure out. She chuckled a few times at his efforts before she had jumped in to assist. Once they had the crib up and ready for use, Bree went into the kitchen and prepared the farm-style sink for Sierra's bath.

Johnny couldn't help but laugh as he tried to assist Bree in his daughter's bath. The seven month old child was in a playful mood and had just recently figured out that if she slapped her hands against the water, she could not only make noise but make the water jump. Bree found it hilarious as she watched her daughter soak the front of her daddy's shirt with her antics.

As he wiped the sleep from his eyes, he glanced at the clock and realizing it was only three o'clock in the morning. He could hear Bree gently breathing alongside him and thanked the stars above for the second chance they had been given. While he counted his blessings, he could hear another noise softly in the background. He smiled when he realized his daughter was softly cooing in her crib near the bed. Quietly getting up, he walked over to the crib, picked her up and headed toward the living room.

"Why don't we let your mother sleep, little one? I think your daddy is capable of getting you changed and fed," whispered Johnny to his little girl.

Johnny was amazed at how natural it felt to have a child in his arms. He smiled wistfully at Sierra as he placed a bottle in a pan of water to warm on the stove. While it was warming, he placed his daughter on the couch with a blanket underneath her as he changed her diaper. He softly kept up a conversation with his daughter, chuckling at her antics of waving her arms up at him while trying to grab his hair anytime he got his face close to her.

Getting the diaper changed quickly, he gathered Sierra in his arms and cuddled her close. He checked the bottle the way he had seen Bree do it, on his wrist, and discovered it to be the right temperature. Sitting down, he positioned his daughter on his left arm and chuckled as she opened her mouth knowing that the bottle was not too far away. He gently rocked back and forth as he fed Sierra, going over his and Bree's conversation from earlier in the evening.

_Returning to the living room after she had put their daughter down for the night, Bree sat down on the coffee table directly across from Johnny so she could look directly in his eye._

"_Why not sit down next to me?" Johnny asked as he patted the cushion next to him._

"_Because you are a distraction when I sit next to you," replied Bree. "We need to talk about what we want and where we go from here."_

_He chuckled when she said he was a distraction as though she was reading his mind. He had plans of cuddling with her on the couch but knew she was right…that they needed to talk about things between them._

"_So where do you want to start?" he asked as he gave her his infamous lopsided grin, still hoping to deter her line of thinking._

_She smiled back at him knowing exactly what he was trying to do. "Nice try, Johnny, but I am learning to look at your eyes and ignore that smile. We need to start by looking at whether we want to have a relationship or not."_

"_I am pretty sure that I want a relationship with you and our daughter. I would love to see you both move here to live with me. There is a lot more but I have the feeling that you have something quite different in mind."_

"_In a way, I do," replied Bree. "We started this relationship in a backwards sort of way. We only knew each other for three days and then parted ways. Like I had said earlier tonight, most couples start out dating, get engaged, marry and then start a family. We started out at the opposite end of that scenario."_

_Johnny pretty much by then knew where Bree was going with this but he couldn't resist teasing her. "So in other words, you want me to wine and dine you, take you to fancy places and show you off before we can go any further? What if I don't want to do that…what if I want to jump right in and have a complete and intimate relationship with you now?"_

_Bree couldn't believe what she was hearing. She thought for certain that he would agree with her…that they need to get reacquainted, to get to know one another better before they had a more serious relationship. She never saw the mischievous look in his eyes or the smirk being formed by his lips as he knew she was confused by his answer and not sure what to do next._

_She glanced up at him for one moment and realized as soon as she saw his eyes that he was teasing her._

"_Damn you, Johnny," she said giggling. "You just had to do that, didn't you?"_

"_Yes, sweetheart, I did," he replied as he leaned forward and took her hands in his. "But I agree with you…we do need to take it slow. As much as I would love to have you and Sierra move in with me right now, I want to get to know you all over again. I want to be able to take you out and show you off…to let everyone know that you are my girl and how much I love you."_

_When she heard him say he loved her, she jumped off the coffee table and right into his arms, sending them both backwards onto the couch. He was completely taken off guard by her reaction and by sheer luck had grabbed a hold of her as his back made contact with the cushions. He steadied Bree as he pushed himself up to a sitting position, holding her against his side and smiling as she settled in comfortably._

"_I take it I said something you like?" he asked in a teasing tone._

"_You know you did. I just wasn't expecting to hear it," she replied as she took a glimpse at him through her eyelashes. "I love you, too, Johnny. I did from the first time you kissed me in Santa Monica."_

_He pulled her a little closer to him when he heard her tell him that she loved him too. They sat and talked for a long time…finally agreeing to continue their discussion at a later date due to the fact it was midnight and Johnny had to work in the morning._

As he sat rocking his now sleeping daughter, Johnny couldn't help but wish he had insisted on them moving out here with him. He could understand Bree's wish to get reacquainted again but he was never known for his patience and wanted to just jump in head first.

She leaned against the wall, smiling as she watched the father of her child gently rock their daughter to sleep. When she had woke up and realized both Johnny and Sierra were not in the room, she almost went back to sleep. Something made her go check on them instead. She found him sitting in the rocker feeding Sierra and once again talking to her in a language she did not understand. She had no desire to interrupt the two as she knew a bond was forming between father and daughter.

Not realizing he was being watched, Johnny placed a kiss upon his sleeping daughter's forehead before he stood up to take her back to her crib. Turning around, he noticed Bree learning up against the hallway wall, smiling at him. As he approached her, he reached out to take her hand and lead her back to the bedroom. No words needed to be exchanged as the couple crawled back into bed and fell asleep in each other's arms.

_His body felt cramped from spending the night sleeping in his vehicle. He had decided to wait until Bree left before he made his move on the man. But Bree never left. It angered him that she chose to spend the night with the man he considered his rival. He knew now deep in his troubled heart that he needed to eliminate this man. She had no restraint when it came to the 'fire boy'. He exited the car and headed to the tree grove to relieve himself then stretched to try to get the kinks of his back and neck from a night of sleeping upright. Once back in his car, he mediated to try and keep calm while he waited for the man to leave his home. Soon his wish would be answered._

Johnny quietly shut the front door as he left for work. He knew Bree would be not be happy with him as she had asked him to wake her up before he left, but she was sleeping so peacefully that he didn't have the heart to do it. He had checked on his daughter before he walked out and she was sleeping soundly also.

_He sat up quickly as he heard tires crunching on the gravel. Chuckling out loud, he noticed that 'fire boy' hadn't even spotted him sitting along the roadside. Putting his car in gear, he slowly pulled out and began to follow him. He had spent most of the night trying to figure out what he wanted to do to his rival and came up with the plan to just rattle his cage first. He figured a bump and run would work for the first time and then he would back off for a bit. He chortled evilly as he began to pick up speed to catch up with the 'fire boy'._

Checking his rearview mirror, Johnny noticed a car slowly catching up to him. He thought this idiot must be in one hell of a hurry to be driving that fast on gravel. Keeping an eye on the guy coming up behind him, he realized that the car behind him wasn't even trying to slow down. Just as he made the decision to try to move his vehicle close to edge of the road, he felt the other car hit his back bumper. Subconsciously, he immediately began to correct his car to avoid hitting the ditch. He could feel the loose gravel on the edge of the road grabbing his tires and slowly pulling him into the ditch. He knew now that he could do nothing but hold on and try to enjoy the ride.

_Glancing in his rearview mirror as he flew by the other vehicle, he watched as the Jeep slowly slid sideways into the ditch. He couldn't help chuckling about the guy's 'misfortune'. He knew 'fire boy' would view it as an unfortunate accident due to someone not paying attention…if he only knew the truth. This was just round one. Eventually the next time he wasn't going to be as lucky. He kept driving towards LA and laughing out loud to himself._

Once the Jeep came to a rest at the bottom of the shallow ditch, Johnny released his seatbelt and got to inspect the damage to his vehicle. The first thing he noticed was that the driver of the other car didn't even bother to stop and see if he was alright. As he walked around to the passenger side of the vehicle, he immediately noticed two flat tires on that side.

'Well, I guess I better start hoofing it back home,' thought Johnny as he grabbed his gear out of the back of the Jeep. Once he got up to the road, he glanced back at his vehicle and thanked his lucky stars that he only slid into the ditch instead of rolling. Knowing he was going to be late for work, he began a brisk walk back to his ranch so he could make a phone call to the station and also to wake up Bree so she could give him a ride to town.

She tried to pull the covers up over her head but something was stopping her from doing so. She gave them one more yank and surprised when they disappeared from her grasp altogether.

"Bree, honey, I need you to wake up," said Johnny. "You are going to have to give me a ride to work."

That statement woke her up. "What happened?" she asked.

"I will tell you on the way in, but first I need to call the station and let them know what happened. Then I need to call a tow truck and have them come and get my Jeep out of the ditch."

"The ditch?" questioned Bree as she hopped out of bed and proceeded to get dressed.

"It's a strange story," he replied. "You finish getting yourself and Sierra ready while I go make my phone calls." Before he left the room, he leaned over and kissed Bree soundly on the lips. For a second Bree stood there and stared at his retreating back, wondering what would make him slide into the ditch on his way to work.

Johnny dialed the station and was relieved when Roy answered the phone.

"Junior, what the heck is going on?" he asked him.

"Someone thought we needed to play bumper cars on the road and I wound up in the ditch," said Johnny. "Can you let the captain know that I'll be on my way to work shortly?"

Roy's reply echoed Bree's. "In the ditch? How bad is the damage to your vehicle?"

"Two flat tires. I'm gonna call a tow truck to pick it up and haul it to the garage then Bree will be bringing me in to work."

"Bree's at your place?" asked Roy, wondering about this turn of events in his partner's life.

"Yes, Roy, she came out here last night. I will tell you all about it when I get into work," replied Johnny. "See you when I get there."

While Roy was on the phone, Chet couldn't help but 'overhear' the name, Bree, mentioned by his coworker and once again wondered just who she was. Johnny hadn't been acting like himself and he just couldn't help but think that this 'Bree' had to be his pigeon's latest obsession.

"Who's Bree?" asked Chet trying to be nonchalant about it.

Roy looked over at Chet and knew that once he got an idea into his head he would not let it rest until he got his answer. Marco and Roy exchanged a glance before Roy answered Chet's question.

"I'm afraid that is a question I cannot answer for you, Chet. The answers you seek will have to come from Johnny," replied Roy.

Chet had seen the look that passed between Marco and Roy. It wasn't hard to deduct from that one look that Marco also knew what was going on. He knew it would be nigh to impossible to get Roy to tell him about this woman as he was as protective of Johnny's privacy as Johnny was of Roy's. Instead of pestering his coworkers, Chet headed to the locker room to work on a plan to tease his pigeon about the newest woman in his life.

Bree put her car in gear and left the ranch. She was still baffled by the turn of events that put Johnny's Jeep into the ditch. Sierra was sitting quietly in her car seat in the back, cooing to herself and to the amusement of her father.

Glancing over at Bree, Johnny said, "I suppose you're curious as to what happened this morning, aren't you?"

"To say the least," replied Bree. "I am still trying to wrap my head around the fact that you wound up in the ditch without rolling over."

"Believe me, so am I. Luckily for me when I saw the car coming up behind me fast that I'd already started slowing down to move out of his way. When he bumped the back of my car, I was slow enough that when the loose gravel on the edge grabbed my tires, my momentum was down enough to only pull me into the ditch."

"Thank god for that," she said. "Did the driver stop to check if you were alright?"

"Nope," he said. "Just kept on going like he didn't even know he had hit someone. Kinda ticked me off that they wouldn't notice what happened, much less stop to check if see if everything was alright."

Bree looked at Johnny and smiled just happy that he was alright. "Well, no matter, I am glad that you are okay."

Pretty soon, Johnny was off and running on one of his tangents about irresponsible drivers and once he was rolling, Bree knew from what Roy had told her weeks ago that there was no stopping him. She couldn't help but giggle every once in a while as he kept on about people who shouldn't be allowed driver's licenses. Eventually she could not hold back her laughter and let loose with a deep rumble of laughter that caught Johnny's attention causing him to stop in mid-sentence. As he realized what he had been doing, he joined in, chuckling until he was laughing just as uncontrollably as she was.

Roy paced back and forth in the dayroom of Station 51. The engine had been called out on a run for a trash bin fire and that left just him and Dwyer in the station. Dwyer was sprawled out on the couch trying to catch a few winks in hopes that Johnny would be there soon. Lucky for them the squad was having a quiet day…something that was rare but enjoyed nonetheless.

Finally Dwyer had enough of Roy's pacing. He sat up and looked at the senior paramedic and said, "Roy, just go pace out in front of the station. You are gonna wear a path in the floor if you don't stop. Besides, you are driving me nuts!"

Dwyer's little outburst took Roy by surprise, so much so that he didn't even argue but headed straight outside to wait for his partner. He didn't have to wait long as a black Jeep pulled up in front of the station with Johnny sitting in the front seat. He walked over to the passenger side and poked his head in the window.

"Hi, Bree, nice to see you again," he said. "Nice to see you could make it in to work, Junior."

"Funny, Roy, real funny," replied Johnny with a smile on his face. "I hope Cap isn't too upset with me for being late."

"No, he was just glad that you didn't get hurt. So what exactly happened anyway?"

"I'll fill you in later. I'd better get inside so Dwyer can head home and catch some shut-eye."

He leaned over and gave Bree a quick kiss. Before he grabbed his gear from the floor of the back seat, he softly kissed Sierra's forehead and brushed her hair back from her cheek. He motioned to Roy to check out what was in the back seat and smiled when Roy caught a glimpse of Sierra. Roy told Bree that she and Johnny had a beautiful little girl.

He waved goodbye to his two ladies as Bree pulled away from the station and followed Roy back inside.

"What do you think of my little girl?" asked Johnny.

"A little cutie, Junior," replied Roy as he heard the pride in Johnny's voice. "Just to give you a heads up, Chet is scheming to find out who Bree is. And when he finds out about that little girl, it could get interesting."

"How does he know about Bree?" asked Johnny.

"He was in the room when you called and heard me mention Bree's name. Of course, the minute I got off the phone he immediately tried to be innocent when he asked who she was."

Johnny chuckled as he stored his gear away in his locker. "Like I told you before, Roy, there is _nothing that is innocent_ about Chet when he is asking questions and trying to get answers. I'm sure he will pounce on me as soon as they get back."

The guys walked into the dayroom where Dwyer looked relieved when he saw Johnny and after chatting a bit, he headed out. No sooner had Dwyer left did the tones go off, sending the guys on one run after another for the next four hours.

It had been over a month since Dixie had witnessed the 'kiss' in the ER and saw the article on Bree in the newspaper. Rumors had run amok after that to the point where she threatened disciplinary action against two of her own nurses in her department. She found herself getting frustrated with her favorite paramedic as she thought he was being just plain stupid. And Bree…well she wasn't faring any better. The girl kept up a brave face but Dixie felt that the girl was hurting deep inside.

She had finally been able to get a hold of her friend and they were going to meet for lunch in the cafeteria. After picking out something to eat, she walked onto the patio and spotted Bree sitting at a table near the fence.

Dixie decided to get straight to the heart of things and asked her friend, "So have you heard from a certain paramedic yet?"

"No," replied Bree as she looked down at her coffee cup. She felt bad lying to her friend like this but she and Johnny had decided to keep the fact that they were seeing each other under wraps for a while. They had talked about it the night that Bree and Sierra had first come out to his new home.

Dixie watched the conflicting emotions flicker across Bree's face. She thought to herself sometimes that boy could be so hard-headed. "I'm so sorry to hear that. What the hell is wrong with him?"

"Dixie, please don't worry about it. He is a big boy and he needs to make up his own mind and if he doesn't want to grow up, so be it."

"I know, Bree, but he is being so idiotic. He is a grown man and has a child. He should own up to his responsibilities."

Bree had to bite the inside of her cheek to keep from say something. "That's his choice, Dixie. I can't make his change his mind. Hopefully he will come to his senses soon and not later."

Sensing that the subject was a little tender for her friend, Dixie decided to drop it. Just as they started talking about the upcoming Memorial Day holiday, the skies opened up and it began to rain. Running back inside, Dixie told Bree to meet her in the staff lounge near the ER and they could finish their lunch break there.

Since Roy was still in the treatment room with the patient, Johnny headed over to the base station for a cup of coffee. Carol saw him heading her direction and told him the coffee pot was on the fritz so he would need to go to the staff lounge for a cup. He said thanks and headed that direction.

Entering the lounge, he noticed Traci and Sharon were both sitting in there talking. He smiled at them both and grabbed a cup. While his back was towards the two girls he missed the knowing wink that Sharon gave Traci as she got up and left the room. He turned around and noticed that it was just he and Traci left in the lounge.

"Did I scare off Sharon?" he asked Traci.

"No, she had to get back to work. She got pulled to the Pediatrics ward for this shift."

Johnny started to walk towards the window but Traci stood up to stop him. She reached up, placing her hand on his shoulder and smiled as she glanced up at him.

"You don't need to be shy around me, Johnny. I know that I had pressured you into meeting me that one time for drinks and that you were uncomfortable with it. I figured out that you are probably the type of guy who likes to be the one to ask the girl out. And I know how you feel about me. I feel the same way. I really like you," Traci stated as she moved to put her hand on the nape of his neck.

Johnny's conscience really started screaming at him. At the time he had been flirting with Traci, he hadn't been sure about his future with Bree. Now he was wishing he hadn't led this girl on, that he had just talked with her and had done no flirting. He didn't even notice when Traci had removed his coffee cup from his hand.

She was trying to put her other arm around his neck and was just about to kiss him when Johnny heard the door open (breathing a sigh of relief and hoping it was Roy). He had tried to remove Traci's arms from around his neck when he heard Bree behind him.

"You have got to be kidding me…again… this is a hospital, not a motel!" stated Bree as she stood there in disbelief at what she was viewing once more.

Johnny jumped as he knew how this was looking to Bree. He turned around and not only saw Bree behind him but also Dixie and Roy, the latter looking quite upset with him.

Bree strode into the lounge and stated to the two behind her, "Roy, would you take your erstwhile partner out of here and Dixie, shut the door and wait outside while me and 'racy Traci' chat."

Johnny figured his best defense would be to hightail it out of there. He followed his partner out of the lounge and couldn't even look Dixie in the eye as she shut the door behind her and stood guard in front of it.

A few minutes later, Traci walked out of the lounge with a look upon her face that said she was not very happy. Dixie watched in total astonishment as the girl practically ran to the elevator to get back to the floor she worked on. She turned and walked back into the lounge to find Bree looking like she wasn't sure if she should be angry or laugh at the whole silly situation.

Looking at the expression on Dixie's face, she broke into a fit of giggling, "Oh…oh my god, I have not had fun like that in a long time. The look on her face when I flat-out told her that she was barking up the wrong tree and that he already was dating someone here. It was so worth it!"

Dixie couldn't believe the change in Bree. "What are you talking about? She ran out of here looking like she had lost her best friend or something along that line. What did you say to her?"

"Dixie, I basically told her that Johnny has been dating someone and that she would not get very far with him. She tried to tell me that wasn't true but I told her it was, that he likes to flirt with all the girls and most of the time it doesn't mean a thing."

"Who is Johnny dating?" asked Dixie.

"Well, not in so many words did I tell her who he was dating, but she got the picture that he is not in the market for a new woman in his life."

Dixie found herself getting a bit frustrated with Bree as she was not making much sense and finally barked her question like an order. "Just who the heck is Johnny dating at this facility?!"

She gave the answer so softly that Dixie wasn't sure if she heard her right. "Me."

When it finally sunk in what Bree had told her, Dixie almost shouted out loud her approval. She grabbed the young woman and whispered to her that it was about time they came to their senses.

Roy stood beside the squad and looked at Johnny with disgust written all over his expression and he didn't even try to hide it. Johnny swallowed hard but couldn't find the words to explain to Roy what he had seen in the staff lounge. Neither one of them could figure out what to say that wouldn't cause hurt to the other.

As the partners stood glaring at each other from either side of the squad, Bree came running through the ER doors, stopping short as she noticed the guys facing each across the hood of the squad but not saying a word.

"You two didn't have to wait for me," she said as walked up to the squad trying to lighten up the mood she was sensing.

Johnny turned and grabbed both of Bree's hands in his and replied, "I'm so sorry you saw that. I had only flirted with her that one time when you saw her kiss me at the base station. I never tried to encourage her. I guess she was really convinced that I was interested in her."

"Yes, she was and I don't think it helped when you met her for drinks at the Red Wolf," Bree said softly as she looked down at her feet. "You definitely had me convinced that you enjoyed your bachelor status that night."

"Honey, look at me." Bree glanced up at him and he could see the tears in her eyes. "I am so sorry about that night too. She had been bugging me to meet her for a drink that I finally gave in. I was so shocked when I saw you up on stage singing. I didn't know what to do, so I left before the first set was even finished."

"I know. I saw you leave and without Traci," stated Bree. "Johnny, I don't know if I can do this…hide what you mean to me from everyone. I thought I would be able to handle seeing you act like nothing is happening between us but after the last few weeks of hearing rumors and then seeing that nurse try to kiss you again, I just can't do it."

"If you want the honest to god truth, sweetheart, neither can I," replied Johnny with a huge smile on his face. "I want to let everyone know who you are and what you mean to me. I want to be able to kiss you if I see you in the hallway at Rampart, to send you flowers at work for no reason at all except to say I love you." He released Bree's hands and placed his on her cheeks, pulling her closer for a very thorough kiss and he didn't care who saw him do it.

The young couple forgot about Roy who had gone over to talk to Dixie in the doorway of Rampart General's ER and were now watching their exchange, astonished at what they were witnessing. Roy looked over at Dixie who whispered something in his ear that set them both laughing.

Johnny leaned over one more time to kiss Bree and then sent her on her way. He got into the squad and waited for his partner to join him. Shaking his head as he said goodbye to Dixie, Roy got in and started up the squad.

The two rode in silence on the short trip back to the station. Roy was still trying to figure out what his partner was up to. Johnny had told him three weeks ago after Bree had dropped him off at work (due to two flat tires on his Jeep) that they were going to see each other but keep quiet about it as they wanted to have privacy. He thought his partner was nuts for doing that as all anyone had to do was look at Johnny to know that there was something significantly different with him. Now he gets caught in a somewhat compromising position with another nurse in the staff lounge, witnessed not only by himself but also by Dixie and Bree.

"Junior, I have to admit I am totally confused by what I witnessed at Rampart. What exactly are you up to?"

It was a couple of seconds before Johnny answered him. "Pally, I think it's time I introduced the crew to Bree and our daughter."

"What?"

"I think it's time everyone met Bree and Sierra. Bree was right…we can't keep this under wraps. I want everyone to know what she means to me, how proud I am of my daughter

"When are you thinking of springing this on everyone?" asked Roy.

"I was thinking of having my housewarming party on the Saturday of Memorial Day weekend and have everyone out there and introduce them to my girls. What do you think?" asked Johnny.

"I'm thinking it's about time," he replied. "But I hope you plan on cluing her in on the like-hate relationship between you and Chet because you know he is going to start razzing her the minute he meets her."

"Yeah, I know...but I've no doubts that Bree will be able to hold her own against the _phantom_ and anything he might throw at her.


	3. Chapter 3

_She tried to run but found herself going nowhere. Each door she walked through led to another room with another door but with no way out. She could feel his presence and knew he was close by yet could not see him. No matter which way she turned her way to freedom was blocked. As she wrenched the next door open, she found herself in a hallway with no doors or windows. Frustration oozed from every fiber of her being. Running down the long corridor, it seemed to her that no matter what she tried, she was trapped. She finally stopped, tired and angry…angry that she allowed herself to get into the predicament in the first place, angry that she had no clue who this person was, the one stalking her. As she picked up the pace and began walking towards what looked like a window, she sensed he was somewhere near her. She had no weapon, no means of protecting herself. Suddenly something flew by her head causing her to jump. Quickly she turned to see what it was…when she noticed something on the ground near her feet, a flower…a purple orchid. Her heart began to beat faster as she knew he was back and hunting her down again…only this time she had more to lose. She was not going to let him take anything more from her._

"_You are not going to win this time! You cannot have me! You cannot have my family!" she shouted._

_As she shouted this into the darkened room around her, she never saw the hand come out of the shadows and land on her shoulder…_

Whistling softly to himself as he walked into the kitchen, Johnny couldn't help but think how wonderful the day was going to be. The crew of Station 51 and his friends from Rampart were coming out to his new home today to celebrate a housewarming and to meet the two special ladies in his life. Reaching into the cupboard, he grabbed the coffee grinder and the bag of coffee beans to grind. He chuckled to himself as he poured some beans into the grinder. Since he and Bree started dating…again, she got him hooked on fresh ground coffee versus the pre-ground stuff. He even bought some to have at work…which got Chet teasing him over whoever this mystery woman was in his life…if he only knew it was two, not one.

Just as he was going to turn on the grinder, he could hear Bree shouting from the bedroom. He ran into the room to find she was in the throes of a nightmare. As he approached the bed, he leaned down to gently touch her shoulder when her fists suddenly flew up. He barely had time to jump back much less grab her wrists to keep her from hurting herself or anyone. As she struggled against his grip, Johnny pulled her towards him and wrapped her in a tight embrace, hoping it would help calm her. Once in his arms, he leaned his cheek against her head and softly whispered in her ear.

Bree fought against waking up and in her sleep-fogged brain wondered who was holding her. She could hear someone telling she was safe and no one was going to hurt her. Slowly she opened her eyes and was surprised to see it was Johnny holding her tightly. She tried to bring her arms up to encircle him but found them tightly held in his embrace.

Sensing she was awaking up, Johnny loosened his hold on her. He let her lean back to look up at him and when she did, he stole a kiss, putting a confused look on her face.

"That must have been one heck of a dream, sweetheart, if you felt the need to take a swing at me," said Johnny as he teased her about it. "I just hope it wasn't me in the dream that you were actually trying to hit."

"No, it wasn't...wait, did you say I took a swing at you?" questioned Bree with a look of dismay on her face. "Oh dear god, I am so sorry. I didn't connect, did 1?"

"Nope," replied Johnny as he got up off the bed and helped her up. "I have good reflexes and was able to catch your wrists in my hands before you got close. If you had connected, I would be explaining a black eye to my coworkers today."

"I can't believe that it's happening again…it's been a long time since I had that dream," stated Bree.

"Happening again…in a long time?" he questioned as he checked on his sleeping daughter in the port-a-crib still in his room.

"Yes. It's the same one I have had since the attack and my parents' death. It seems ever since the stalker had entered my life, the nightmare comes in cycles and usually it means…oh never mind, it's just a dream."

Johnny knew from experience that sometimes talking about the nightmares doesn't make them go away. He knew eventually Bree would tell him about it, but not today of all days. He just hoped the nightmare was more related to being nervous about meeting the rest of the gang and not something else.

She followed Johnny out to the kitchen, keeping up a steady stream of conversation. "Well, I am definitely glad that I didn't connect then. I don't think your coworkers need to know me as the woman who gave their friend a black eye."

"No, I don't think you'd like that but Chet would sure get a kick out of it. I would never hear the end of it from him, that's for sure."

Bree snuck up behind Johnny while he finished making coffee. He chuckled as he felt her arms come around his waist. Turning the coffee pot on, he turned around, placing his hands on her face and leaned down to give her a long, thorough kiss. For a moment, the world melted away as they became lost in each other's embrace but it jumped back in with the shrill ring of the telephone. Bree released Johnny muttering something under her breath about needing a cold shower which had Johnny laughing as he answered the phone.

Roy pulled the phone away from his ear, looking at it strangely. He could hear Johnny laughing on the other end and then heard Bree's giggle in the background. Smiling, as he realized what had his friend in a good mood, he put the phone back up and waited for Johnny to gain control to talk.

"Hello?"

"Hey, Junior, sounds like you to have started the party without us," replied Roy.

"Nope. Just trying to get coffee made and Bree is interfering. What's up?"

Roy chuckled again before he answered. "Just getting ready to head out your direction. Joanne wanted to know if there's anything you need before we leave."

He heard Johnny ask Bree if there were any last-minute items she might need for the party. Johnny told him there was nothing they needed and that they would see them in forty-five minutes. As he hung up the phone, he looked at Bree, wiggled his eyebrows and said, "What do you mean…you need a cold shower? Try answering the phone, woman, when all I want to do is to chase you down the hallway."

Bree giggled as she took off running down the hallway with Johnny in hot pursuit. As they ran past Sierra's bedroom, they could hear her fussing, getting ready to let her presence be known. Pushing Johnny towards the bathroom, Bree told him to take a shower while she got Sierra fed, bathed and changed. Chuckling as he entered the bathroom, he thought of how it could have ended had their daughter not be waking up and Roy wasn't on his way out to the ranch.

When he finished showering, he found Bree had left him a cup of coffee on the bathroom counter and a note that told him to hurry up so she could use the bathroom. Finishing up in record time, he walked out to the living room to find Bree and Sierra waiting for him.

"You told me to hurry up so you could use the bathroom and here you are…all done up and ready to go. Did I miss something?" he asked.

Chuckling, she replied, "No, you didn't miss a thing but it was fun to see just how fast you could actually vacate the bathroom."

Sitting down next to Bree, he took Sierra from her arms and played peek-a-boo with her using her hands against her own face. The little girl giggled each time her father put her hands to her face and then quickly pulled them apart. She watched Johnny as he played with their daughter and although she tried not to have regrets over decisions she made her life, she knew she would always have this one…the one where she hid the truth from him about his child.

Johnny glanced up to see Bree watching them play with a thoughtful look upon her face. He knew she wanted everything to go well for the party today. Ever since he gave her a set of keys shortly after they started dating, both she and Sierra had been spending a lot of time with him on his days off.

Johnny looked up and smiled at her. "Nervous, sweetheart?" he asked.

"A little bit but that's only because I have heard the stories you and Roy have told me about Chet. Your captain and Mike don't worry me, it's just Chet."

"Don't worry about him, Bree. Like I told Roy the other day when I said I wanted to introduce you to the gang, I told him I knew you will be able to hold your own against Chet and his fun natured pranks."

"If you say so, sweetheart, then it must be true," replied Bree with a giggle. "I think I hear a car coming down your driveway. Let's go check it out."

Sure enough, Roy's car was coming to a stop just as they reached the edge of the front porch. Jennifer had already wiggled out of her car seat and had the car door open as they heard Joanne tell her to wait. Little good that did as the soon-to-be four-year-old was already running towards Johnny and Bree. She flung herself at her Uncle Johnny and was scooped up in a big bear hug.

Putting Jennifer down, Johnny went to help Roy get their things out of the trunk. Jo and Bree took the kids into the house, chattering like they hadn't seen each other in weeks instead of days.

"How's it going, Junior?" asked Roy as he grabbed the cooler out of the trunk.

"Really good, Roy. Bree's been out here since yesterday cooking and baking up a storm," he said grabbing the two totes left in the trunk. "When I got home this morning though, she was having one heck of a nightmare. As I tried to wake her up she took a swing at me. Thank god I have quick reflexes or she would have connected."

"Took a swing at you?" Roy couldn't help but snicker as a picture of the petite blonde taking a swing at Johnny seemed ludicrous to him. "Wow. Did she tell you what it was about?"

"Not in so many words. She was a little evasive, said it wasn't important," replied Johnny. "I'm sure she'll tell me later if she feels she needs to. So as far as I'm concerned it's unimportant to me too. We both want this to be a good day for everyone."

"She nervous about meeting the rest of the gang?" he asked as he walked through the door that Johnny was holding open for him.

"A little bit, but she's trying not to let it show. I'm thinking she's wondering if they will accept her and Sierra as easily as you, Jo and Marco did."

As they walked through the main part of the house towards the patio, they noticed that Jo, Bree or the kids were nowhere to be found. They could hear the kids shouting outside and figured that they had found the play set that was left at the ranch by the previous owners. But that still left Jo and Bree's absence. Roy set the cooler down next to the one Johnny had placed out on the patio and went back inside. Johnny had taken the totes to the guest bedroom on the other side of the house as Roy, Jo and the kids were spending the next couple of days out at the ranch. Johnny had promised to take Chris hiking on the trails behind the barn and Bree promised Jennifer a day of making cookies and playing in the pool she was going to set up.

Meeting back in the kitchen, the guys wondered where their women had disappeared to…when they heard giggling coming from the master bedroom. They snuck down the hallway and when they peered into the room, the girls were not in the bedroom itself. So they walked into the bathroom and found them in standing in the middle of the walk-in closet laughing at all the clothes that Bree had brought with her.

"So what has you two laughing like two little school girls?" asked Johnny.

Bree glanced over at Johnny and replied, "I had to show her what I brought out here and then had to tell her how many times I changed clothes today." She had barely gotten that sentence out before she started giggling all over again.

"Then I had to ask her why she just didn't put on her bikini," stated Jo. "Could you imagine the look on Chet's face if she answered the door in that? It would be priceless." Jo couldn't help snicker again at the thought of Chet standing there with his mouth hanging open if Bree actually would do that. Both girls started laughing all over again, harder than before which set Bree to do something she hadn't done in a long time…snort. Halfway through one big laugh, she snorted, not once but twice.

Roy looked over at Johnny who returned his glance with a raised eyebrow. When she snorted, Bree and Jo both quit laughing, looked at each other and started all over again. Johnny sighed and reached for Bree's hand to take her back to the kitchen while Roy did the same thing with Jo.

The girls finally got themselves under control and began to get things set out for the party. Sierra was rolling around in the playpen Johnny had set up in the living room so Bree could work on getting everything ready but not have to go back and forth to the bedroom to check on their daughter.

"So if Bree would have taken Jo up on her suggestion, would you have let her?" asked Roy with a smile on his face.

"Yeah, I think I would have…just to see Chet's reaction when she opened the door. However, with my luck, it would have been Cap at the door. I'm not quite sure how that would have gone over with him and Emily."

Bree popped her head up from behind the refrigerator door to reply to Johnny's answer. "If I knew it was just Chet coming out here, I would do it in a heartbeat just for the shock factor alone, but with your captain, his family and your other coworkers and friends coming out here…couldn't do it. It would just not be proper."

"True, sweetheart, I wouldn't mind you giving Chet a heart attack, but I think I'd find it hard to let you try that one with Cap around."

"When is everyone else supposed to start arriving, Johnny?" asked Jo as she put the finishing touches on one of the salads she had brought out.

"I think Cap and his wife were going to try to be out here by 11:30, but everyone else said they'd arrive around 12 or 12:30. That should be plenty of time to get the grill going, let the kids play and introduce Bree and Sierra."

"Honey, I think you might want to go and keep an eye out for your captain and his family as the clock says it is now 11:40."

No sooner had Bree brought up the time than the doorbell rang. Johnny went to answer the door while Bree reached into the playpen to pick up Sierra who had begun to fuss. Opening the door, Johnny was greeted with a hug by Captain Stanley's wife, Emily, who immediately asked, "Where is she, Johnny? I have been dying to meet the girl who not only managed to steal your heart but keep it."

Johnny laughed and pointed her in the direction of Bree. Following close behind were Hank and Emily's two daughters, Alyssa and Cassie. Their son was not with them as he had gone camping with friends and would not be back until late Monday night.

"Is that the young lady who managed to steal your heart, Johnny?" asked Hank as he watched his wife take the baby from Bree's arms.

"Yes, it is, Cap," replied Johnny. "Why don't we head over there so I can introduce you to Bree." As they walked towards the women, Johnny turned to Hank and said, "Thanks for letting me sound off on you the other day before I talked to the rest of the guys, Cap. I knew Bree was nervous about this celebration today and I thought it might help if you all knew a bit about our history before you arrived."

Hank smiled as he listened to Johnny. He said, "I'm glad I was able to help ease your fears, Johnny. It couldn't have been easy to talk about but know this, it doesn't matter what happened. It's in the past, the future is what counts." He paused as he watched his wife coo over the child she was holding. "I take it the child my wife is so enamored with is yours?"

"Mine, Cap, mine and Bree's," replied Johnny. "And I couldn't be more proud of the little lady that Emily is holding right now."

Hank looked at his youngest crew member and smiled as he could see the happiness in Johnny's face. "I believe you are. By all means, please introduce me to your lovely young lady."

"Bree," said Johnny as he took her hand and pulled her towards him. "I would like you to meet Captain Hank Stanley from Station 51. I believe you have already met his wife and two daughters."

Hank smiled as he took the hand that the young woman offered him. "So you are the young woman who has had my youngest crew member in a twist lately?"

"Guilty as charged, Captain Stanley," replied Bree. "It's a pleasure to meet you finally."

"Call me Hank, and I believe the pleasure is all mine, Bree," said Hank as he leaned over to check out the baby in his wife's arms. "And may I ask who is this little angel my wife is holding?"

"Her name is Sierra Rose Gage," said Bree with pride in her voice.

When Sierra heard the new voice, she turned to it and as he put his finger out for her to grab, she immediately tried to put it in her mouth. Hank laughed at the child's antics and took her from his wife's arms. He could see the beauty this child was going to grow up to be and couldn't resist teasing his youngest crew member.

Turning to Johnny, he said laughingly, "I think you are in trouble, Gage, especially if this one has her mother's beauty and your charm. You are going to beating the boys away with a stick."

"Hank Stanley!" cried Emily. "Don't you dare tease him about the boys and his little girl. He has plenty of time ahead of him before he needs to worry about that. Let him enjoy her childhood first."

Hank looked over the top of his wife's head at Johnny and winked. Johnny already knew that Cap was teasing him but Emily always had a soft spot where he was concerned and just like Joanne, would jump to his defense if she felt he was being picked on. As he looked around at the small extended family he had, he felt at peace with everything.

Alyssa and Cassie finally managed to entice Sierra away from their father's embrace and took her outside with Bree's permission to play on a blanket they placed on the ground. Chris and Jennifer soon joined them to play with the infant and were laughing as Sierra kept trying to grab Jennifer's braids when she swung them too close to her.

As she watched the children play in the yard, she was reminded of the many happier times she spent here as a child. Chris ran towards the play set followed by Jennifer and Cassie. Alyssa remained on the blanket carefully holding Sierra while she watched the others play. She hadn't noticed Jo walk up beside her until she felt an arm slide around her shoulders.

"What has you so deep in thought?" asked Jo as she hugged her new friend.

Bree smiled back and replied, "Just remembering my childhood here. It's fun to see children playing in the yard."

The two friends walked back into the kitchen to help Emily prepare the vegetables she had brought out for the party. She had prepared most of the raw vegetables at home but discovered in the morning that her son had made off with the carrots and celery which in turn necessitated a stop at the grocery store to buy more. She kept saying she was sorry that she had to finish the preparation at the ranch. Bree laughed and told her not to worry about as what were kids for…if not to give their parents gray hairs and funny stories to tell to others.

While the women were busy in the kitchen and waiting for the rest of the guests to arrive, Johnny took Roy and Hank out to the barn and corrals to show them what he had completed out there. The three stood leaning on the rails of the corral fence as Johnny talked about the horses he wanted to have some day to breed and raise. Roy knew for a long time that this had always been a dream of his and was happy that for his friend…part of his dream had finally come true. Hank was amazed as he listened to Johnny talk about horses and realized knowledgeable the young man was about this endeavor.

"Bree?" asked Alyssa as she walked in to the kitchen. "I think Sierra is getting just a bit fussy. Do you mind taking her back?"

Taking her daughter from the young teenager, she smiled and said, "Not at all. Thank you for watching her for a while, Alyssa. You go ahead and join the others if you would like."

Alyssa turned and ran to join the others at the play set. Johnny jumped aside to allow her to pass by, chuckling as he watched her run. He walked up to Bree as she finished placing a bottle on the stove to warm.

"You want me to take care of Sierra?" he asked.

Bree smiled up at him and replied, "No. You have more guests that will be arriving shortly. I will take her to the bedroom and get her settled down for her nap."

"Why don't you head in there now and get her changed? I'll bring you her bottle when it is ready."

Reaching up, she gave Johnny a quick kiss and headed towards the master bedroom. Johnny turned to check on the bottle when he noticed Roy grinning at him. He spotted Jo and Emily behind Roy trying to hide their smiles.

"What did I do now?" he asked as he tested the warmth of the formula. "I feel like I am on trial for something the way you're all looking at me."

"No, Junior. It's just unusual to see you so domesticated," replied Roy as he tried but failed miserably to hide the chuckle that escaped.

"Like you never were that _domesticated_ with your first born," countered Johnny as he grinned back at Roy. "I'll be right back."

As he headed toward the bedroom, the doorbell rang once again. He detoured towards the door and when he opened it, the rest of his guests were standing there. Mike and Linda, Marco and Mandy along with Chet, Drs. Brackett and Early and Dixie greeted him as one by shouting 'Happy Housewarming'. Johnny stepped back and told everyone to come on in. He pointed everyone in the direction of the kitchen/living room and headed towards his bedroom.

Bree looked up from the rocking chair and asked, "Everyone else arrived then?"

"Yep. Everyone is here so when you have Sierra sound asleep, come join us on the patio," he said as he handed her the bottle and snuck a kiss before he left.

Smiling to herself, she began to feed her daughter as she softly sang to her.

He could hear Bree singing to Sierra as he walked out of the bedroom. Entering the main area of the house, he found his guests congregating around the island in the kitchen. Chet stepped back from the group and immediately began to pester Johnny.

"So where is this woman who I have been hearing about but have never seen?" asked Chet. "I have heard you mention her many times throughout the night for the past three months…yet you have never introduced her to any of us."

Johnny chuckled before he addressed Chet's question. "Did it ever occur to you, Chet…that the only reason you have never met her is because I didn't want her to feel obligated to like you?"

"Bull, Gage. You're just afraid she might prefer me to you," replied Chet as he snickered at the expression on Johnny's face.

"Like I told you before, Kelly…she prefers tall, dark and handsome over short, curly-haired Irishman with big bushy mustaches."

The group behind the sparring coworkers looked at each other and collectively rolled their eyes in one gesture as this was the norm for Johnny and Chet. While he kept up his verbal sparring with Chet, Johnny motioned to the others to join him out on the patio.

Ignoring Chet's taunts, Johnny turned and asked, "Can I get anyone something to drink?"

Various choices were tossed at him and he couldn't help but laugh. Roy walked with him to the coolers to grab sodas or beers for those who requested them. Joanne had also brought out a pitcher of ice tea and placed it on the table for those who would prefer that to drink.

Chet was not deterred by Johnny's ignoring him. He waited until Johnny was sitting down before he started in on him again. "Come on, Gage. Where is she? Personally, I am beginning to think you just made her up and there is no 'Bree' in existence at all."

Dixie, who was sitting closest to Johnny, elbowed him and answered in his stead. "Oh believe me, Chet, she does exist and she works at Rampart."

"She works at Rampart?" questioned Chet. He turned back to Johnny and said, "You managed to keep this a secret? Unbelievable, Gage! Wow, I didn't think you had it in you to keep a secret of this magnitude…usually you are crowing when you get a date with a nurse."

"Funny, ha, ha, Kelly," countered Johnny. "Shows what you know, or should I say don't know. And she is not a nurse."

_He watched the group from the shadows of the trees. During the previous weeks, he had done surveillance of 'fire boy's' home and work. He now knew all of his habits and those of his coworkers too. It was just a matter of time before he would strike again. Listening to 'fire boy' banter with the short curly-haired man called Chet he could tell they were discussing her. It angered him that she was being discussed so freely even though they never mentioned her name._

_As he sat quietly in the thicket just beyond the first line of trees, he could see the children playing on the play set, watched by a young teenage girl. He heard the boys mention something about playing hide and go seek. The two older girls vetoed the idea as they knew from what they could hear the adults talking about…lunch would be started shortly. So they suggested saving the game until after lunch._

_He wondered where she was and the thought entered his mind that she was inside with the child. He couldn't see past the stigma of being born to unwed parents and see the innocence of the child. All he knew was that 'fire boy' had ruined his Bree and took her away from him. He clapped his hands over his mouth so they could not hear the chuckle that almost escaped as he thought about how he was going to torture 'fire boy' and take what was rightfully his back. Sitting back against the thick hedge of the thicket, he slowly brought himself back to a calmer demeanor, watching and listening to the group on the patio._

Quietly settling Sierra into her crib, Bree straightened up and stretched trying to get the kink out of her back. She could hear Johnny and his friends on the patio discussing Johnny's ability to keep a secret and knew that the other voice was that of Chet aka 'The Phantom'. She chuckled as she shut the door to the master bedroom and headed down the hallway to join the others and meet the rest of Johnny's coworkers.

Out on the patio, Chet finally gave up on pestering Johnny as it seemed nothing was going to ruin his good mood or cause him to give up the identity of the young woman he is dating. Noticing that someone had set a beer down by his foot, he reached down to open it and was astonished when it blew up in his face as he cracked the tab. Roy glanced over to Johnny who looked back and winked, started laughing at the look on Chet's face when he realized the table had been turned on him for once.

"Alright, who shook my beer before they gave it to me?" asked Chet. He received a chorus of 'Not me' from everyone around him. "Funny people, aren't you?"

"Chet, go in the kitchen and find a towel to dry off with," said Johnny between chuckles.

Chet got up laughing as he realized his friend finally got him back for all the water bombs he had been the recipient of. Entering the kitchen, he failed to notice the young woman who had come from the hallway. Intent of locating a towel to dry off with, he didn't see her smiling as she watched his progress.

As he was opening drawers looking for the towels that Johnny said were in there, he heard a voice from behind him. "Can I help you find something?"

Jumping back, Chet hit his head on the edge of a cupboard door that had been left open. "Ouch!"

"Are you okay?" the young woman asked.

Rubbing his head, he replied rather sarcastically, "What do you think? First I get showered by a beer and now I hit my head. Must be blind or stupid if you didn't see that. And just who are you?"

With a smirk on her face as she realized just who she was talking to, she replied back equally sarcastic, "Your worst nightmare."

Chet looked up at the young woman and his mouth dropped open as she looked just like one of his favorite singers. When he realized she had to be the one that Johnny was dating, he decided to change his tactics. Walking around one side of the island, he replied, "Really? I wouldn't say you are my worst nightmare, instead more like a very good dream. So why are you seeing Gage? I think you could do so much better than him."

She stopped by the fridge and asked, "What makes you say that?" as she tossed a towel from the drawer at him.

"He has commitment issues. Just ask any of the nurses at Rampart," replied Chet as he grabbed the towel she has tossed at him and proceeded to dry himself off.

As he dried himself off, he failed to notice the girl reaching into the fridge and pulling something out she had purposely left in there before Johnny's friends had arrived.

"You know, Chet, you should never take your eyes off an adversary."

"How did you…" he started to say when he looked up and noticed he walked right into another trap. Seeing this petite blonde with a water pistol in her hand made him laugh, but he soon realized she was serious as she unleashed the ice cold water in that gun directly at him.

Everyone on the patio heard Chet's shout. Johnny jumped up and as he reached for the handle of the patio door, it was whisked open by Chet who all but ran over Johnny to get out of the way of the girl. Johnny started laughing as a very determined Bree calmly walked through doors and headed straight for Chet.

"So you are the infamous Chet Kelly?" she asked. "I am going to give you a little heads up, my dear. Do not ever again insult my intelligence or my choice of family members. As I believe you have noticed, I have the upper hand here and fair warning, the phantom has nothing on this _little witch!_" With emphasis on the last two words, Bree unleashed the rest of the cold water on Chet.

"Stop! Uncle! Uncle!" cried Chet as he tried to get out of the way. "Woman, that water is cold!"

Realizing he was giving up, Bree lowered the hand holding the water pistol and from behind her back she produced another towel, handing it to Chet. As he took it warily from her hand, she smiled and said, "By the way, Kelly, my name is Brenna Leigh…and yes, I am the one dating Johnny."

That broke the ice. Johnny didn't have to introduce Bree to any of the others. They were all laughing heartily as they walked up to her and congratulated her on getting Chet. Even Chet had to concede that she got him good.

While the guys gathered around the grill and got it started, the women headed back inside, not only for a quick tour of the house but to get to know more about the girl who finally stole Johnny's affection and managed to outfox '_the phantom_'. The last stop was the master bedroom where they quietly walked in but instead of checking out the room, the women peeked at Sierra sleeping soundly in her crib. They all glanced at Bree with the same question in their eyes, 'Can we wake her up?' Bree silently chuckled, shook her head no and shooed them out of the room.

Hank was standing at the grill keeping an eye on the burgers, hot dogs and chicken. The rest took it upon themselves to get the tables set up and ready for lunch. In the kitchen, Bree was pulling the side dishes out of the fridge, handing them to Dixie and Joanne. Emily and Linda had already grabbed the plates and silverware, taking them out to the table. Mandy went to check on the kids who had snuck into the barn to see if they could find the newborn kittens Johnny had told them about.

Soon the shout was heard from Hank, "Dinner is ready!"

Mandy and the kids came running from the barn trying to see who could beat who to the table. Mandy scooped up Jennifer as her little legs just couldn't keep up with the older kids.

Laughter abounded at the table as the stories of the Phantom and his poor pigeon were retold once again for Bree's benefit. She couldn't help but laugh as she listened to the stories of the phantom leaving water bombs in the kitchen cupboards or in Johnny's locker. At one point she had to ask the guys to quit with the stories as her sides were starting to hurt from laughing so much.

An hour later, the kids were back playing on the play set, tables were clean, food put away and the adults were lounging around the patio suffering from food overdose. Johnny had grabbed the long lounge chair and was waiting for Bree to come back from checking on Sierra. Glancing towards the door that led from the patio to the master bedroom, he smiled as the object of his thoughts came walking out sans their daughter who was still peacefully sleeping in her crib. He patted the open space in front of him and waited for her to sit down. Once she was sitting on the edge, he grabbed her from behind and pulled her back towards him.

Snuggled in his arms, Bree relaxed and enjoyed spending time with the people Johnny called family. She noticed that Chet was studying them as if trying to figure something out. Leaning her head back, she motioned for Johnny to come close so she could whisper in his ear. Johnny glanced over at Chet and chuckled as he confirmed what she had said.

"What's got you so thoughtful, Chet?" asked Johnny. "Usually you are about as animated as the kids."

He contemplated on what he was going to say before he spoke. "Well, it's like this, Gage. I've been trying to figure out what is so familiar about your girlfriend…"

"And it's driving you nuts because you can't figure it out, can you?" interrupted Johnny.

"Pretty much," replied Chet as he looked at Bree. "So are you going to fill me in or just make me keep guessing?"

"I think I am going to let you figure it out on your own, Kelly. It's fun to watch the wheels go round and round in your brain," stated Bree as she laughed at the expression on his face change. "Besides it's not that hard to figure it out. You have seen me before but you just too occupied with two blonde nurses at the bar…" She left the sentence hanging to see if the light bulb would go off above his head.

Chet stared at Bree as if finally dawned on him where he had seen her before. "You are the new lead singer for the band at the Red Wolf."

"Bingo!" exclaimed Bree as she touched her nose to show he hit it right.

But Chet knew there was more to this than met the eye and from the look she gave to Dixie and Emily, they also knew what was going on. He then remembered an article that had appeared in the newspaper a couple of days after he had seen Bree performing at the Red Wolf.

"Okay. My next question is…are you or aren't you?"

Knowing exactly what the question pertained to, Bree couldn't resist and tease him a bit. "Are I or aren't I…what?"

Chet swallowed hard as he didn't want to put himself in a precarious position but forged ahead anyway with what he started. "Are you or aren't you…Bree Montgomery?"

She leaned forward towards the curly-haired fireman and softly whispered, "Yes, I am."

"Wow! Gage, how did you get so lucky?" asked Chet.

Bree answered instead. "It's not how he got so lucky, but how did I get so lucky, Chet. Now that you know the truth of who I am, I only have one thing to ask of you…please do not repeat what you know to anyone due to that newspaper article. I am enjoying my anonymity and don't want to upset the 'apple cart' so to speak and cause problems at the hospital. Do you understand?"

"I do," replied Chet. "But I think I'd better give you a heads up on that article, a couple of girls I know have figured it out and have been thinking of calling that reporter. I don't know if they yet but…"

Dixie interrupted the conversation when she heard Chet mentioned a couple of girls. "Those two girls wouldn't happen to work at Rampart, would they?" She pretty much knew the answer as she had intercepted the rumors the other day but neither girl had been on duty. She already had notified the supervisor of the nursing department that she needed to speak with them next time they were on duty.

"Yes, Miss McCall," replied Chet not sure if he was in trouble with the head nurse or not. "But like I said, I'm not sure if they have done it yet."

Just as Bree was going to add something to the conversation, she heard her daughter's cries through the door leading from the patio to the master bedroom and started to get up to take care of her. Johnny put his hand on her shoulder, telling her he would go take care of Sierra.

Neither of them noticed the puzzled look on Chet's face as he watched Johnny head into the house. He was trying to figure out just why Johnny seemed to be taken with this child. Watching Johnny as he carried the child out to the patio and placing her in Bree's arms, he began to chuckle as he finally had the last piece of the puzzle that had been eluding him.

As he watched the interaction between Johnny, Bree and the child, he just had to needle his pigeon. "So, Gage, are you going to introduce me to the little lady your girlfriend is holding in her arms or do I have to do that myself?" he asked with a twinkle in his eye.

Johnny glanced up at Chet and smiled knowing that Chet was just waiting to grill him about Sierra. He took Sierra back from Bree, kissed the top of his daughter's head and turned her around so Chet could see her and said, "Well, Chet, since you've already introduced yourself to the first special lady in my life, I guess I should be a good host and introduce you the second special lady in my life." He looked down at Sierra who was intently staring at Chet…or his bushy mustache. "This is my daughter, Sierra Rose."

Although the news surprised him, Chet could see the resemblance in the child's eyes…they were identical to Johnny's. He wondered why it seemed that everyone else knew about this but him. Sitting across from Chet, Johnny wondered what had his coworker looking so conflicted when it finally dawned on him that the day he told his coworkers about Bree and Sierra, Chet had not been working. He had switched shifts with someone from another station for reasons unknown.

"Gage, why didn't…." Chet started to say before Johnny interrupted him.

"Chet, the reason you didn't know about these two is because on the day that I told everyone, you had switched shifts with someone and weren't working with us at the time. I never even thought about it until now. It's not that I was trying to keep you out of the loop but you just weren't there to be informed. No hard feelings?"

"None, but be forewarned, the phantom doesn't forget," said Chet as he knelt in front of Johnny and chuckled at Sierra's antics of trying to grab his mustache.

Johnny looked over the tops of both Sierra and Chet's heads and could see the laughter in Bree's eyes as she watched her daughter's antics with Chet. He could see the mischief dancing in her eyes and knew that she was already plotting other ways to keep the _phantom_ on his toes. He shook his head as she raised her eyebrow in response to the unasked question on his face.

The two were brought out of their non-verbal sparring by a squeal from their daughter as she finally succeeded in grabbing a portion of Chet's mustache. The stocky firefighter was doing his best to not shout but was losing the battle as Sierra had a good grip on it. Johnny quickly disengaged his daughter's grasp on Chet's mustache and couldn't help the chuckle that escaped as the look on Chet's face was priceless.

"Holy cow!" cried Chet as he kept rubbing his poor abused upper lip. "That little girl's got one heck of a grip, Gage."

Johnny couldn't answer as he was laughing too hard at Chet. Bree took pity on the poor fireman. She grabbed a cloth from the table and put a couple of ice cubes from the cooler in it. She walked over to Chet and knelt in front of him.

"This should help," she said as she put the ice up in Chet's hand and moving up to his lip. "Obviously you haven't been around too many little ones with that mustache. At her age she is pretty much grabbing anything that gets her attention."

Chet's reply was pretty muffled due to the ice pack on his lip but to Bree it sounded like he was trying to say "Thanks".

"You're welcome, Chet," replied Bree with a devious little smile. "But don't think this lets you off the hook. I will be _watching_ you."

When Chet's head popped up, everyone couldn't help but laugh at the expression on his face…it said it all. He really looked worried. Bree just smiled sweetly and winked at him.

The afternoon flew by quickly and soon Johnny's guests began to depart. Hank had to get his girls home as his oldest was babysitting that evening. The rest of the guests left shortly after Captain Stanley. Mandy hugged her cousin as they stood in the doorway and said that she would talk to her later as she turned to catch up with Marco and Chet.

As the last of the guests had departed, Johnny breathed a sigh of relief that everything went as well as it did. He knew that Bree had been nervous about meeting the rest of the gang but she seemed to fit right in, especially when it came to getting ahead of Chet in the practical joke department. He chuckled as he recalled the expression on Chet's face as he flew through the patio doors trying to avoid Bree and her ice cold water gun.

Roy and Johnny sat in comfortable silence on the patio while Joanne and Bree rounded up the kids for their baths and get them ready for bedtime. Both were enjoying the peace and quiet of the surrounding countryside and listening the crickets chirping as the sun started to set.

_Sitting in his car in front of Bree's home, he noticed how quiet the neighborhood was. He smiled to himself as it would make what he was about to do easier. He shut the car door and proceeding up the sidewalk that rounded the corner of the two-story home and joined up with the pathway that led into the park. Once out of sight of the street, he quickly slipped through the foliage and walked straight to the side door of the garage. He picked the lock and once inside, jimmied open the box that housed the security system for Bree's home. Quickly he disarmed the alarm system making it look like all was well with the home._

_Entering the house, he walked through the kitchen into the great room, finally entering Bree's bedroom. Inside the room, he spotted the child's crib and gave it a quick kick as he went by. Walking into the closet, he closed his eyes and could almost imagine Bree standing there choosing what to wear for the day. In his mind, he could smell her perfume and felt his blood quicken in response to the scent. He softly brushed his fingertips along the clothes hanging in her closet as he wandered through it. He opened the drawers in the bureau that sat in the middle of the closet, sliding his fingers across her soft delicate undergarments. His fingers stopped on a soft lavender colored nightgown. Picking it up, he pressed it to his face inhaling the soft fragrance._

_He walked into the bathroom, casually rifling through her fragrances on the bathroom counter. He picked up one, sniffing it and smiling at the memories it invoked. He gave just a cursory glance to the rest of the master bathroom before exiting._

_Checking the time on his watch, he looked around the bedroom to make sure nothing was out of place. He pushed the crib back against the wall from where he had kicked it. Back in the kitchen, he left the package on the counter right where he knew she would see it. He retraced his steps into the garage, opening the side door before resetting the alarm and closing both the alarm box and door. Casually he strolled towards his car, finding this neighborhood just a little on the dull side as it was just too quiet for his taste. As he headed away from Bree's home, he giggled almost manically as he thought of her reaction when she came home to her surprise._

Half an hour later the kids were bathed and in bed. The girls walked out onto the patio and flopped down alongside the guys, breathing very audible signs of relief at finally getting the kids down for bed. Roy and Johnny made eye contact over the tops of the girls' heads, silently chuckling at what seemed to be a very recognizable sign that they were looking for sympathy from their men.

"Problems getting Sierra down for the night?" asked Johnny as Bree snuggled next to him.

"A little more than usual but I think she was just overstimulated by all the activity around here," replied Bree. "I know I'm bushed."

Joanne laughed, joining in the conversation. "I know what you mean. Jennifer was so wound up from playing all day that I couldn't get her to sit still in the tub. At one point she almost went head first into the side of the tub when she slipped as she trying to tell me about the hide and seek game they were playing. She said she had found a really neat place to hide…a little opening in the woods near the swing set."

"I know that spot. I used to hide there all the time when I was visiting my grandparents," stated Bree with a wistful smile as she remembered all the fun times. "I discovered it the first day we came to visit after my grandparents moved in. Everyone was in panic mode when they couldn't find and I was enjoying watching the commotion."

While the four friends relaxed and laughed at some of the stories Bree told of her summertime visits to the ranch her grandparents had once owned, Mandy was standing in the middle of the kitchen in the house she shared with her cousin. She could feel her body shaking but whether it was from fear or anger, she didn't know. She knew exactly whom the package was from that was sitting on the kitchen counter. The only thing she didn't know was how he had gotten around the security system and entered their home, their sanctuary.

Mandy knew she was going to have to call her cousin and tell her of the break-in but at the same time she didn't want to shatter her peace of mind. Reaching for the phone, she decided to call Marco first. She needed to talk with him before she called Bree. She paced back and forth in the kitchen, wrapping herself in the long phone cord to the point of almost becoming completely tangled in it.

When she heard Marco's voice on the other end of the line, she almost dropped the phone. She couldn't believe how much this had her rattled. She tried to speak in a calm manner …but Marco could hear the shakiness in her voice and realized something really had her rattled. She heard him tell her to hold on, that he was on his way over. After he said goodbye, she put the phone back on the receiver and took a deep breath to hopefully calm herself. All she knew is her cousin didn't need this to start all over again.

He flew like the wind, just about breaking all speed limits for the roads around Carson and Torrance. He and Mandy had been dating for just about a year and he had _never_ once seen her ever rattled by anything…until now. Marco couldn't imagine what had her sounding so upset. Turning onto the road where Bree and Mandy's house was located, he didn't see any police cars so nothing bad had happened…yet. He brought the car to a screeching halt in the driveway, sprinting up the sidewalk to the front door hoping that it was unlocked.

Upon entering the house, he cautiously looked around him and didn't see anything out of the ordinary. He called out to Mandy and breathed a sigh of relief when she walked around the corner of the kitchen and smiled at him.

He grabbed her in a hug and asked, "What's up, _chica_? You had me scared half to death that someone had gotten in the house and was after you."

"Someone did get in the house," replied Mandy as she relaxed in his embrace. She immediately felt him tense up. "In answer to your next question, no… whoever it was is not here anymore."

"How do you know then that someone was in the house?" Marco asked as he released his hold on her.

"Because of the package I found on the kitchen counter," she stated as she moved towards the kitchen. "Follow me and I'll show you what I mean."

Following Mandy into the kitchen, Marco spotted the purple wrapped package on the kitchen counter but couldn't understand why that would have Mandy in such a state of panic until he saw the purple orchid sitting neatly in the perfect bow on top of the package. He remembered clearly what Mandy had told him a few months back regarding what happened to Bree before she met Johnny.

"_Buenos Dios!_ He got into the house? How?" he questioned with horror in his eyes.

She looked up at her boyfriend, who could see the tears she was trying to hold back. "I don't know how he got in without setting off the alarm. What scares me the most is what Bree's reaction is going to be when she finds out he got into the house."

"_Novio,_ you know you have to tell her," he said softly as he put his hands on her shoulder to stop her pacing. "She has the right to know that her home was broken into and why."

"I know but I don't want to ruin this weekend for her. She is staying at Johnny's this weekend along with Roy and his family…I just can't do that to her."

Marco thought for a moment and then said, "Why not wait until Monday morning then? Let them have their nice relaxing weekend at Johnny's ranch. When they come in for the picnic, you can take your cousin aside and talk with her about this incident and maybe then all of us can come up with a plan to help her."

"You are a genius, love!" cried Mandy as she hugged him. "She will more than likely be very angry that I didn't call her right away but I will survive that…she always gets irritated with me."

"I will tell you this, _chica_, I am staying here tonight. You are not going to be alone in this house," stated Marco firmly as he hugged her back.

They spent the next half an hour making sure that all the windows were locked, that the automatic garage doors were disconnected and the side door of the garage was not broken. Mandy had called the security system operators and had a repair man come out and look at it. He told her that everything was in working order and that she had nothing to worry about. 'If he only knew' she thought to herself as she shut the side door and reset the alarm.

Johnny peered down the hallway to the bedroom that Sierra slept in when she and her mother would come to visit him. He looked with confusion written on his face as to what could be keeping Bree. They had just finished loading all of Sierra's things when Bree ran back to the house saying she forgot something. Five minutes later she still hadn't come back out.

He had lifted Sierra out of her car seat and headed back in. As he glanced down that hall, he thought he could hear a faint yell coming from the spare bedroom next to the master bedroom.

"Should we go check on what's keeping mommy?" he asked Sierra who giggled in return.

The pair snuck down the hallway as Johnny was thinking it would be fun to scare Bree and see he could get her to move a bit faster. As he popped his head through the doorway, the sight before his eyes at first startled him and then caused him to break out laughing as he could hear Bree muttering something. All he could see were Bree's legs poking out from under the twin bed that he had put in there so Jennifer would have a place to sleep when Roy and his family came out to visit.

He quickly put Sierra in the crib and walked over to the bed. Kneeling down, he went to peek under the bed and couldn't help but laugh all over again as he could hear more clearly just what Bree had to say.

"Quit laughing funny boy and help me!" cried Bree in frustration. "For the life of me, I cannot figure out just how I managed to get my hair caught in the springs."

"Just what were you doing under the bed in the first place?" asked Johnny as he wiggled on his back to reach where she had her hair tangled in the bedsprings.

"I forgot that Sierra had dropped her pacifier and I accidentally kicked it under the bed. I don't have another one at home so I really need this one."

Within a few seconds, Johnny had Bree's hair untangled and helped her out from under the bed. After seeing the look on her face, he decided keeping silent was the best thing he could do. As she headed out the door to clean off the pacifier, he could hear her muttering to herself about the absurdness of the situation. He smiled and softly talked to his daughter as he picked her up out the crib and headed to the front door to catch up with Bree.

As she watched Johnny and Sierra walk towards her, Bree knew deep in her heart she did the right thing in coming back to California. She wanted Johnny to know Sierra and was hoping that maybe they could begin again and have a relationship together. She smiled inwardly as she was secretly hoping that Johnny would ask them to move in with him someday in the near future but was finding it hard not to put the idea into his head herself.

"Get your head out of the clouds, sweetheart. We need to catch up with Roy and Joanne. They should be to your house by now."

"I highly doubt that, Johnny," she replied as she walked ahead of him to the vehicle. "They only left twenty minutes ago and…"

He interrupted her by saying, "No, it's been a half an hour. Remember you spent about twenty minutes just running around picking up all of Sierra's stuff and then another five minutes stuck under the bed."

"Oh, don't remind me of that!" she exclaimed. "Darn it anyway, you're right. Let's cruise."

_He watched the couple leave the ranch. His anger simmered just below the surface as he watched the car pull away. He wanted so bad to run 'fire boy' off the road again but he knew she was in the car also. He had spent all of Sunday outside her home in Torrance waiting to see her reaction to the package he had left her, but she never came home. She had spent the weekend at his place. He was so disappointed in her…in her lack of judgment with this character. He failed to see what she could possibly find attractive in this guy. He was too skinny._

_Keeping a good distance, he followed the young couple as they headed towards the big city. He already had his next move ready to take place and couldn't help laughing as he could only imagine what they would think when they see what he had planned for them. He reached to turn up the radio as the song playing was one of hers from the beginning of her career before she turned 'celebrity'. He sang along with it as he kept their car in sight._

The trip into Torrance seemed like a fast one to Bree. She and Johnny had kept up a running discussion on how well the weekend seemed to go at his new place. The barbecue was a success and having Roy and Joanne along with kids stay out there until Monday morning worked out wonderfully.

Johnny had taken Roy and Chris hiking up into the hills behind the barn. He had shown them one of the meadows he discovered when he first hiked up there. Chris had been surprised when a doe had walked out into the middle of the meadow. Johnny held Chris back with his hand as the boy had been ready to run out there towards her. He whispered in Chris' ear to just watch and soon a buck came to join the doe. The guys watched the deer eating in the meadow until Chris sneezed, startling the animals away.

The guys had returned to the ranch to find the girls had put together a picnic lunch on the lawn and Bree had set up the pool for the kids to swim in. It had been a perfect relaxing day for the group. Even Sierra got to join in the fun in the pool.

Turning down the street that led to Bree's house, Johnny still couldn't get over the home she lived in. The first time he had been here he had felt intimidated. His ranch seemed dowdy in comparison to her two-story five bedroom house. She told him he was being silly because what makes a house a home, is not the four walls or the many bedrooms it might have but the people who live in it. She said she loved the ranch not only because she spent her summers growing up there but because he had made it a home again.

Pulling into the driveway, Johnny noticed Marco's car was in the driveway. He had found that rather odd as Mandy had driven Bree's car back home Saturday after the barbecue and Marco said he would meet them at the picnic on Monday. Roy and Joanne hadn't made there yet so Bree was giving him grief about being worried that they would get here before them.

He laughed as Bree sprinted up to the house with Sierra in her arms, leaving him to gather as much stuff out of the back of his vehicle as possible. It still amazed him…all the stuff one had to cart around for a baby, but he wouldn't change that for the world. Leaving the port-a-crib and one other tote in the back of his vehicle, he walked up the stairs and into the house. From the front entry, he could see Bree standing by the island just staring and Mandy standing next to her looking worried.

He quickly put down the items he was carrying and hurried towards the kitchen.

"What's wrong?" he asked as stopped beside Bree.

Bree didn't say a word but just handed Sierra to her father. She walked towards the other end of the island intently staring at the package sitting there. Johnny shifted Sierra to his hip, puzzled as to what had Bree mesmerized.

"When did you find it, Mandy?" she asked her cousin as she kept her gaze on the package.

"Saturday night when I got home," replied Mandy.

"And you couldn't be bothered to call me?" Bree asked angrily as she turned her gaze to her cousin. "Didn't you think I had a right to know about this?"

Mandy swallowed hard and looked over at Johnny, who by now had seen the package on the counter and was torn as to helping keep Bree calm or keeping his daughter from fussing. Marco until now had been silently leaning again the fridge across from Mandy and Bree, stood up and replied to her questions.

"Bree, the reason she didn't call you is because she felt you deserved to have a nice weekend at the ranch with Johnny and the DeSoto's. She called me first …."

"I called Marco first because I was frightened that he had actually gotten into the house," said Mandy as she interrupted Marco. "Then I became angry because he _found _a way to violate our security…our sanctuary. Most of all, I was really upset that somehow, someway he had found you again and is set to try to destroy your happiness…once again."

Having gotten that off her chest, Mandy did something she normally never did in front of anybody…she burst into tears. Marco reached her first and enveloped her in a big hug, allowing her to cry on his shoulder. Johnny and Bree glanced at each other and then at Mandy.

"What do you thinks in the box, sweetheart?" Johnny asked as he playfully swung Sierra in the air to make her giggle.

"I'm not sure that I even want to open it," she replied as she kept her eye on her emotional cousin. "It still makes me mad that he somehow managed to get past my security system and into my house."

"Maybe you should call the cops and report the break-in…" Johnny started to say before Bree interrupted him.

"And tell them what…that someone from my past has resurfaced and is after me again. It was never reported in the first place. Besides they would ask why the break-in hadn't been reported immediately after it had been discovered."

Bree returned her gaze to the package. Resisting the urge to pick up the package and toss it in the trash, she took a deep breath and reached for the bow. Her fingers shook as she tried to untie it. Seeing the nervousness in her eyes, Johnny handed Sierra to Mandy. He reached for the package in front of Bree and first removed the orchid on top of the bow. He tossed it to Marco who immediately threw it in the garbage can. Meeting Bree's questioning gaze, he smiled as he began to untie the bow for her. Once that was done, he pushed the package back in front of her so that she could finish opening it.

With shaking hands, she reached for the top of the box. Carefully she lifted it and peering inside she couldn't help but gasp out loud at what she saw. Johnny looked over her shoulder and his eyes narrowed at what he saw within the box. Both Mandy and Marco watched the expressions on the couple's faces and knew whatever was inside wasn't good.

"Bree…" Mandy started to say.

She looked up at her cousin and replied, "He's upped the game, cousin. It's no longer a reason to have…it's become a reason to possess. See for yourself." She turned the box around so that Mandy and Marco could see what was left.

Inside the box laid a white negligée with a thin purple ribbon laced through the bodice. But that wasn't what terrified and angered Bree, it was the engagement ring of white gold with a diamond in the center and sapphires embedded in either side of the band resting on the neckline of the negligée. The note enclosed stated:

"_With this ring, I thee wed."_

The four adults stood in silent horror at the implication of this simple statement. For a few moments, the only sound heard in the room was their breathing. Sierra finally broke the silence with a wail of someone who was not used to being ignored. Bree shook her head as her daughter began to cry. She took Sierra from Mandy and headed into the living area.

Johnny watched Bree as she slowly walked towards the windows facing the pool. He could tell by the slump of her shoulders she was feeling the weight of the world. It angered him that some unknown individual was intruding not only upon Bree's life but was taking away her sense of security. He was also worried whoever this person is that they could cause harm to both his girls.

He walked up to Bree and put his arm around her, placing a kiss on his daughter's forehead. He felt Bree relax against him with a deep sigh.

"Why don't we just skip the picnic and stay home?" asked Johnny.

"Yeah, Bree, that sounds so much better," added Mandy as she and Marco joined them at the window. "We need to figure this out and what to do to keep you and Sierra safe."

Bree turned and looked at the three adults standing next to her. The look on her face told Johnny that she was not happy with that idea. She handed Sierra to her father before she said anything to any of them.

"No! I am not going to let this idiot take over my life again," retorted Bree with vehemence in her voice. "He took too much already from me and I refuse to let it start all over."

"So what are you going to do…offer yourself and Sierra up as bait?" asked Johnny quite angrily.

"No, I am not going to offer myself or our daughter as bait. I am just not hiding anymore. I want my life back and I am not allowing anyone to take it away from me. And if that means I have to report this to the police then so be it."

Johnny looked at the diminutive young woman in front of him and saw the inner strength that he had seen when she first came back. He knew that no matter what he said or did, she would not be swayed from this course. He glanced over at Mandy and Marco, knowing that they were on their side.

Before anything more could be said, the doorbell rang. Knowing that Roy and Jo along with the kids had arrived, Mandy ran to answer the door. She smiled at the family as she asked them to enter and said that everyone was in the living room.

Roy noticed Bree taking her daughter from Johnny's arms and entering the bedroom. He glanced over at his wife who looked as confused as he felt. The tension he could feel in the room was intense and he wondered if they had just narrowly missed a major argument.

Johnny put Jennifer down after her bear hug and told her and Chris to go upstairs and play with the toys and stuff that Bree kept up there as the adults needed to talk. Chris looked down at his little sister saying "race ya!" And off they ran.

"Okay, Junior, what's up? The tension in here is so thick you could cut it with a knife," stated Roy.

Before she had gone into the bedroom with Sierra, Bree whispered to Johnny to go ahead and fill Roy and Joanne in on what occurred after the barbecue. She needed to get Sierra settled down and knowing that it wasn't too hard for children to pick up on the tension in a room, took her into the bedroom to try to get her settled down before they left.

"Nothing good, Roy, nothing good," replied Johnny as he motioned for the group to follow him back into the kitchen. "It seems there was a silent break-in this weekend while we were holding the barbecue at my ranch."

"Anything stolen?" asked Roy as he felt his wife put her hand in his. He gave her hand a squeeze to reassure her.

"Not that Mandy or Marco could tell but we haven't gone through Bree's bedroom yet," said Johnny. "Right now we are trying to get our heads around the fact that the intruder got around the security system in this house without any alarms being triggered. So we assume that whoever it is knows what they are doing."

Joanne glanced at the bedroom door and back at Johnny, asking, "How's Bree handling this?"

"For the circumstances, alright, I guess. But I haven't filled you in on the 'best' part…the intruder turns out to be the individual who'd been stalking Bree for the past year before her parents' death. Look in the box on the counter and you'll see how we figured out that the stalker is back." He shot the package a nasty look that was not lost on Roy.

Joanne hesitantly reached for the box, lifting the lid and gasping out loud at what she saw and read. She glanced at Johnny who returned her gaze with an unwavering one of his own. She shuddered at the look she read in his eyes, knowing that should this person ever run into Johnny it would not be good. Roy stood and looked over his wife's shoulder as she opened the box and could now see why Johnny looked as mad as he did. This person, whoever he was, is sick.

"What do we do next?" asked Roy and Joanne at the same time.

Johnny laughed and replied, "According to Bree, we go on to the picnic and act like nothing has changed. She refuses to allow this person to dictate how she lives her life.

While Johnny was explaining to Roy and Joanne what had happened, Bree wandered around her bedroom wondering if he had been in here. She noticed the crib was slightly away from the wall but she could have left it that way. She walked into her closet and glanced at the clothes hanging there, noticing nothing seemed to be out of the ordinary. As she came around to the drawer side of the cabinet in the middle of her closet, she noticed one drawer was not completely shut. Using the toe of her shoe, she hooked the drawer handle and pulled it back towards her.

Immediately she noticed things had been disturbed. She realized right away that something was missing from the drawer. She left the drawer opened, quickly leaving the room to avoid a panic attack. She set Sierra down in the crib and walked into the bathroom. She turned the water on and splashed some cool water on her face, patting it dry. Placing her cool hand on the back of her neck, she looked around the bathroom and where her perfumes rested noticed that her favorite one was missing.

Bree had had enough. Not only had he invaded her life and privacy, he now was attacking her security and stealing her belongings. She decided to keep the missing items to herself for now as she didn't want Johnny to be more upset than he already was. She wished she could find out who this person was and confront him. Picking her daughter up out of her crib, she took a deep breath to calm her racing heart and walked out to the living area.

"Well, I think we are ready to go. How about the rest of you?" asked Bree as she turned to Joanne to hug her.

Joanne hugged Bree back and asked, "Are you sure you want to go to the picnic? Like Mandy told us, we can stay here and come up with ways to keep you and Sierra safe."

"I'm sure, Joanne," replied Bree as she turned to smile at everyone. "And thanks for your concern, all of you. I am not going to let him dictate how I live my life and who I associate with. Now let's get to the picnic before Chet gets there and eats everything in sight."

Laughing at that comment, the adults headed to the front. Joanne, Bree and Mandy walked ahead of the guys chattering away. Roy shouted up the stairs for the kids to come on down as it was time to leave. He laughed as he could hear the two trying to outdo each other to get to the stairs first. He shouted up at them to be careful as they didn't want anyone falling down the stairs. Chris and Jennifer peered over the railing and told their father they'd be careful and to prove it, they took the stairs one step at a time.

Bree got Sierra settled in her car seat and waved at Mandy and Marco telling them she would see them at the park. Joanne hustled her kids into the backseat of their station wagon and waved back at Bree.

_He laughed to himself as he knew the package had her rattled. He could tell by the way she constantly looked around her even as she walked to the car. The 'fire boy' looked no better. He smiled as he noticed the thin line of his mouth as he too looked around the yard. He knew no one could see him hidden in the brush alongside the walking path that wound around behind her house leading to the nature park not far away._

_Watching them all drive away, he chuckled as he knew exactly where they were going, which park the picnic was being held at. He waited until the cars were out of sight before he got on the walking path and headed to the parking lot of the nature park. He chuckled as he walked back to his car, reveling in his good luck at finding a good place to be able to park without drawing attention to himself or his vehicle._

_The next phase of his plan was about to begin and he couldn't wait to watch the reaction of this close knit group as they realize they are becoming targets just by associating with her. Once they figure out by being a part of her group, they were going to be in as much danger as 'fire boy' was. He couldn't help but chuckle as everything was falling into place. After all this time, she still hadn't figured out who he was…but soon she would and he couldn't wait to launch that surprise._

Bree leaned up against the tree as Johnny laid his head in her lap. Joanne was sitting on the blanket playing with Sierra while Roy pushed Jennifer on the swing near where they had set up their picnic. Chris had run off with some of his friends and was playing an impromptu game of softball with them at the baseball diamond across from the play area.

Just as Bree had predicted, when they arrived Chet wasn't going to let them anywhere near the food when they arrived. He said if they couldn't get there on time, they didn't need to eat. That prompted a small water fight between Bree and Chet as once again she was packing…an ice cold water pistol…that she immediately unleashed on Chet. Chet took off running with Bree not the far behind him. Ten minutes later when the pair returned, Bree was as wet as Chet was and both were laughing hard.

Everyone was looking at them as if they had gone off the deep end. Johnny finally asked what happened which sent Bree right back into a fit of giggling leaving the explanation to Chet. Chet told Johnny as Bree was chasing him around the playground she failed to notice the small wading pool set up for the kids. She slipped in a small puddle and ended up sliding right into the pool…luckily he said no kids were in there.

Finally getting her giggles under control, Bree took Johnny's car keys to retrieve the tote that held an extra set of clothing for herself. She had learned the hard way that when you have a little one and go someplace, you should always have an extra set of clothes for yourself. She entered the bathroom and cringed when she noticed there was no lock on the door. At least the stalls have locks, she thought to herself. As she was changing, she thought she heard a noise like someone entering the bathroom but got no reply when she called out. Blaming it on nerves, she hurriedly got dressed and bolted out of the bathroom like it was on fire.

As she was remembering that earlier incident, she failed to hear Johnny asking her a question until she felt the weight of his head leave her lap.

"Are you with us today, sweetheart?" he asked as he smiled at her knowing her mind was elsewhere.

"I'm sorry, Johnny. What did you ask me?"

"I wanted to know if you would like a soda before we head over to the pavilion to listen to whoever is playing," he replied as he stood up.

"I would love a diet Pepsi," she requested.

"Anything your heart desires," he stated as he leaned back down to give her a kiss.

She blushed and replied in a whisper, "What my heart desires cannot be displayed in public."

She laughed as she watched him blush all the way to the roots of his hair. Joanne smiled as she ducked her head so Johnny wouldn't see that she noticed him blushing.

Johnny met up with Roy who had just returned from the baseball diamonds where Chris and his friends were playing. Captain Stanley's daughter, Alyssa, was going to watch the younger kids while the adults walked over to the nearby pavilion to listen to the band playing there. It was within eyesight of the playground so most of the parents weren't worried that their children wouldn't be able to find them.

They chuckled over the early incident when arriving late for the picnic put Chet and Bree on the path for another battle between the phantom and the _little witch_ as Bree called herself. They all decided it was a draw as Bree wound up as wet as Chet.

Grabbing sodas from the cooler, Johnny motioned to Marco and Chet that they were getting ready to head to the pavilion if they wanted to join them. Marco commented that somehow he lost his girlfriend along the way and was still trying to find her. Shaking his head, Johnny told him that they would be just on the fringe of the crowd within eyesight of the playground so they would be easy to find.

Returning to the girls, the guys noticed that everything had been picked up, folded and ready to go. Johnny took Sierra from Bree, placing his arm around her waist. They caught up with Captain Stanley and his wife, Emily, who had been trying to save spots for them. Roy had grabbed the folding lawn chairs for the girls to sit on and set them up.

The band hadn't started playing yet but was in the process of fine tuning their instruments. Sitting down, Bree couldn't exactly see the pavilion stage but enjoyed listening to the sound checks. Johnny was sitting cross-legged in front of her, leaning against her shins while he bounced their daughter on his bent knees. He could feel that Bree was finally relaxing as her pose in the chair didn't seem as still as the one she had while they were sitting under the tree.

Bree jumped as she felt a hand touch her shoulder. Looking up, she spotted Marco and Chet standing behind her chair.

"No luck in finding my errant cousin?" she asked him.

"No. She said she was going to run to the rest room and be right back. That was half an hour ago," he replied.

Chuckling to himself, Johnny piped in his two cents worth. "Maybe she found something better, Marco." He ducked as Marco took a swipe at his head but caught Bree's shoulder instead.

"Sorry, Bree, I was aiming for the heir apparent of Chet's pranks," said Marco as he tried to apologize for his mistake.

As she rubbed her shoulder in an exaggerated manner, she laughingly replied to his apology, "Don't worry about it, Marco. He should know better."

The playful banter went on for a couple more minutes before Mandy finally caught back up with the group. She smiled as she apologized for disappearing but had run into some old friends who were going to pleasantly surprise them all by playing on the stage. Bree raised an eyebrow at her cousin before she asked. "Just who is playing on stage?"

"Who do you think, cousin?" retorted Mandy cryptically. "From the look on your face I think you know the answer."

The cousins flung playful insults back and forth making Johnny and Chet's insults at work look like child-play. Chet even had to comment on how the girls put him to shame and now he could see he was going to have to stay on his toes to keep ahead of Bree. Before they had a chance to retort to Chet's comment, the band struck up the first cords of their first song.

As the group listened to the music that Dakota Dreaming was playing, on the other side of the crowd was the reporter from the LA Times who had sent out a challenge to the citizens of Los Angeles and surrounding communities to help her find out about the new lead singer for the band. She scanned the crowd looking for a sign of the young woman as she was not on stage with the band. Dana was frustrated as so far her challenge had turned up nothing. The new lead singer for Dakota Dreaming didn't sing with them every night during the week at the Red Wolf so it was making it hard for anyone to figure her out. The band played during the week and then only one weekend a month which allowed the club to have other local bands come in and play.

As she glanced again through the crowd, she noticed two girls off to her left pointing in her direction. Smiling to herself, she headed their direction hoping that they might have the information she has been looking for.

"Hey, do you both have time to answer a few questions?" asked Dana of the young women standing there.

Glancing at each other and then back at Dana, the tall girl replied, "Sure. We were trying to figure out a way to approach you anyway."

"That's great. How about we go somewhere behind this crowd where it's a bit more quiet so we can hear each other talk."

Dana followed the two girls towards an unoccupied shelter north of the pavilion. She pulled her notepad out as the girls started talking to her about her quest to learn just who the new singer was for Dakota Dreaming. She couldn't help the smug smile that crossed her lips as these two were giving her an earful on this singer and where she worked during the day.

Johnny had to admit that listening to this band at the park was a lot nicer than at the club as the background noise was at a minimum. He wondered why they hadn't asked Bree if she wanted to join them at the park. Maybe they had, he thought, but she turned them down instead as she wanted to spend time with him and his friends.

He smiled as he felt Bree lean down and softly blew in his ear. She was always up to some type of mischief with him. He reached up over his head trying to be careful as so not to wake the sleeping child in his lap. He was startled though when the hair he tangled his hand in was not that of Bree but of her cousin, Mandy. The shock on his face set them all laughing.

"You know, Mandy, paybacks are a…well you know," said Johnny as he laughed right along with the rest of the group.

"Yeah, I know, Gage, but it is so much fun to try to make you blush," retorted Mandy as she stepped back out of his reach.

The band paused for a moment after the last slow song and the lead guitarist made a motion to the crowd asking them for silence as he wanted to talk to them. Bree looked at Mandy and rolled her eyes as once the lead guitarist got talking, he never shut up. He introduced himself to the crowd and talked about how the band enjoyed their transition to California and found the community inviting and friendly.

"But that isn't the reason why I wanted to talk to you. A couple of months ago we had the opportunity to hold tryouts for a new lead singer. Originally she wasn't supposed to perform with us today but I spotted her out in the audience….."

As he kept on talking, Bree sat behind Johnny fuming. She was basically thinking about strangling Jesse on the spot. Johnny turned and looked up at Bree who had a very furious look on her face. He reached up to place his hand on her leg and was rewarded with a wan smile from her. He knew she had been looking forward to a nice relaxing day at the park with everyone and now was finding she would soon be the center of attention when her band mate tells everyone who she is.

'I'm gonna kill him,' Johnny heard her saying under her breath. Mandy had reached down and pulled their waking daughter from his lap so he could stand up.

He put his hand out for Bree to grab and as she came to her feet, he pulled her into a quick embrace. He put his mouth close to her ear and said, "Just go with it, sweetheart. I know you wanted to kick back and relax but this is what you love to do. Enjoy it."

Glancing over at Mandy holding Sierra, she nodded in understanding that she would keep an eye on their daughter. She allowed Johnny to walk her towards the stage as the crowd began to chant her name. Bree could feel the color rise on her cheeks and silently thought to herself that she was going to personally string her cousin up by his toes the first chance she got.

Jesse grinned when he saw the look on Bree's face as she approached the stage. He knew she was going to make him pay for what he just did…but he didn't mind. Her boyfriend, Johnny, had helped him get this all set up. Reaching down for Bree's hands, he laughed out loud as Bree's eyes widen when she felt Johnny's hands on her backside as he lifted her up to grab Jesse's outstretched hands.

Feeling the stage beneath her feet, Bree leaned towards Jesse and said softly, "You will die one thousand slow deaths when I am finished with you."

Jesse threw his head back as he laughed hard at her comment. What she said was almost verbatim to what Johnny said she would tell him. His wife, Jen who was also one of their backup singers, stood waiting for Bree and handed her a microphone. She then surprised her cousin-in-law by reaching down and bringing back up a black Stetson hat that Bree thought she had lost.

She positioned the hat on her head, took back the mike and turned to the crowd. Smiling as she realized Johnny was right, she loved to do this.

"Hello, Carson," she shouted. "Let's get this party started!"

Turning to the band, she gave them the backbeat and smiled as she heard the familiar melody of her very first hit begin.

_There's a place I like to go_

_Cherry bombs and cherry wine_

_Just past the Texaco_

_Down on the county line_

She couldn't help but smile as she watched the crowd go wild. Jesse had introduced her as Brenna Leigh and that's who the crowd thought she was. As she sang, she glanced out over the crowd and smiled as she watched those closest to the stage move back and form a semi-circle so that some could dance. This was what she loved the best about concerts in the park…the impromptu dancing, the freedom of enjoying what you like.

Johnny smiled as he watched Bree's transformation the minute the music started. She went from a quiet but vibrant woman to a consummate performer who gave everything she had to the people enjoying her music. As he continued to enjoy her performance, he wondered why she decided to give it up. He had figured part of it had to be because she got pregnant with Sierra but thought that maybe she would have taken it up again once the child had been born. He was so deep in his thoughts that he never heard Roy walk up alongside him.

"She's really good, Junior," stated Roy as he stood alongside Johnny watching the performance on stage.

Johnny jumped a bit as he didn't realize his friend and partner had joined him. "Is this the first time you have heard the band?" he asked as he glanced at Roy from the corner of his eye.

"Yes but not for the lack of trying," said Roy. "Each time you called to see if Jo and I could join you at the club, we had something going on with either the kids at a school function or with Jo's family."

"I can't believe we haven't been able to get out and see her perform. We have missed a lot," chimed in Jo as she joined them taking Sierra from Mandy. "I could just kick myself now for not trying to get out of going to mom's that one night instead of joining you."

"Don't worry about it, Jo," replied Johnny as he laughed at the indignation on her face. "Besides, I believe she is going to be performing more from now on."

Both Roy and Joanne looked at Johnny as they wondered about his cryptic remark. He couldn't help but chuckle again as the looks upon their faces showed just how confused his last comment had made them feel.

"From those looks, I gather you think something different," he said. "What I meant is that she may be singing with the band a little more this summer as they have been asked to perform at a few different venues around the LA and Orange County area."

As the group of friends relaxed and listened to the band, on the other side of the crowd Dana stood listening to Bree sing and silently congratulating herself for getting the low-down on just who this girl was. The two she had been talking with for the better part of half an hour gave her all the information she needed on this new lead singer and who she is. In the back of her mind, she thought that the two had a grudge against the girl but her journalistic nature won out over her ethics.

Watching the crowds, she got the distinct feeling that they believed she really was who the band said she is and not the missing country singer she resembled. Already she had her follow-up story to the first piece she did on the band's new lead singer. Giggling out loud, she decided it was time to head back to the paper and start on the story as she wanted to see if she could get it done in time for tomorrow morning's edition.

_He watched the newspaper reporter leave the crowd. He didn't like her very much but in a way she was helping him in his plan to bring Bree back to music and to get her away from her new friends and where she worked. He chuckled as he imagined what tomorrow morning would bring for Bree if the reporter's article makes it into the morning edition of the LA Times. The chaos that would ensue where she worked would more than likely get her terminated or at least suspended for a while until things blew over. And when that occurs, he would step up his plan to get her away from 'fire boy'._

_Standing on the opposite side of the crowd, he couldn't see where 'fire boy' and his friends were, but knew that it would only be a matter of time before someone discovered what happened in the parking lot. More than likely the surprise would be looked at a just an accident (if they only knew). Deciding it was wiser to not stick around anymore than he needed to, he blew a kiss towards the stage and left._

She sighed as she leaned her head against the headrest of the passenger seat. She hadn't performed like that in a long time and she was tired. She smiled inwardly as she knew deep down she really enjoyed it. After the first set, it took a little coaxing on the band's part as well as the crowd to keep her up on stage. She only wanted to sing one set with them but got talked into performing a second one. When she made eye contact with Johnny, he just smiled back at her and nodded his head in agreement with her singing the second set.

Mandy was in the backseat playing with Sierra who was wake after a long nap through her mother's whole performance. Mandy was doing Johnny's little peek-a-boo play that her 'niece' enjoyed thoroughly. Johnny and Bree were giving her a ride back to the home she shared with her cousin as Marco had discovered a flat tire on his vehicle as they were loading up to go home.

He reached over and took Bree's hand in his, caressing the back of her hand with his thumb. He felt her squeeze his fingers in response to his touch. He was proud of her today. Most of his friends and coworkers hadn't heard her perform before and had pleasantly surprised when she got up on stage. Some of the guys (and their families) from other stations who hadn't known that Johnny was seeing this young woman until today had walked over to him and complimented him on his good taste in girlfriends. He chuckled to himself as if they only knew the whole story of who Bree really is.

"Honey, we're home," said Johnny as he gently shook Bree's shoulder.

She shook her head and glanced to her left. "Where's Sierra?" she asked him.

"Mandy already has her inside and is getting her ready for her bath," he replied. "I think you need a soak also. How about I fill up your tub and you soak while Mandy and I take care of Sierra."

"You know I think I will take you up on that offer. It's not often I can get away with two caregivers for our daughter and have a little free time for myself."

Once inside, Johnny headed to Bree's bedroom to start her bath. Bree headed upstairs to Mandy's room where she could hear her talking to Sierra and the child giggling at her silly 'aunt'. She let Mandy know that she was going to go soak in her tub and that Johnny would have a bottle ready for Sierra when the two make it back down stairs.

"Come on, sleepyhead," said Johnny as he walked out of the master bathroom and found Bree reclining in the rocker by her bed. "The water is the right temperature and you can sink up to your shoulders."

"Johnny, you are a woman's dream come true," replied Bree with a sleepy smile. "I'm gonna have to keep you around for a very long time." She stood up and put her arms around his neck for kiss.

"I sure hope so, woman, cause you will find it very hard to get rid of me now," he stated to her as he kissed her back then turning her in the direction of the bathroom, giving her a little push that way. "You get ta soaking and I'll go take care of our daughter."

She giggled as she shut the door in his face. Slipping out of her clothes, she turned the radio on and tuned in her favorite station. Testing the water with one toe, she sighed as Johnny had gotten the temperature just right for her to soak. She slid into the water and reclined until she was literally up to her neck in water and bubbles. As she listened to the music she couldn't help but think about today at the park. She hadn't been expecting the band to call her up to sing and admitted to herself that she was a little angry when Jeremy started talking. But once she got up there, she had to agree with Johnny and Jeremy that she loved it. Soon the music from the radio started to soothe her tired body and she slowly drifted into a dreamlike state with her last thought being that of how much she loved Johnny.

_She looked around her and found herself in a place with no windows or doors. She could hear his breathing and wondered where he was hiding this time. Turning around in a full circle, she angrily yelled at him, "Are you so afraid of a mere woman that you have to hide in the shadows? What is it that makes you feel you can possess me?"_

_She stomped her foot in frustration and shouted again into the darkness, "I can hear your breathing. I can smell the evil that surrounds you. Answer me! I am tired of your games, your cat-n-mouse play. If you can't reveal yourself then leave me and my family alone."_

_Suddenly she heard a click and once where only a blank wall had been was now a door. Tentatively she reached for the door handle and when she opened it, she could see a field of tall grass and beyond that a forest. She didn't hesitate but ran quickly. As she reached the middle of the field, she could see the grass move ahead of her. She could hear a soft growling sound and she became nervous not knowing what it was…but it seemed to be moving away from her. Throwing caution to the wind, she followed the moving grass._

_The forest seemed so close but with each step it also seemed to get farther away. Stopping to catch her breath, she leaned over with her hands on her knees. Getting herself under control, she stood up and gasped out loud as the forest was now directly in front of her. With each step into the trees, it got darker. The hair on the nape of her neck stood straight up as she could sense whatever she had followed was in the forest with her. She decided this was a bad idea but when she turned to go back to the field, it was gone._

_She could feel her fear rise up in her as she now knew what a mistake she had made. As her panic rose into her throat, she knew she had to face whatever was after her. "Show yourself. If you truly don't plan to hurt me, you should not be afraid to show yourself to me." She could hear the pleading in her voice and mentally berated herself for sounding like a timid little field mouse._

_The breathing sounded much closer. Turning towards the direction of the coarse breathing, she could see eyes glowing in the shadows near her. She took one step towards those eyes when she felt the ground open up in front of her. She screamed as she felt the water rise over her head…_

Bree gasped for breath as she sat up quickly. She couldn't believe that she fell asleep in the bath. Brushing her wet hair away from her face, she went over in her mind the images from her dream. It was beginning to frustrate her…these dreams. Standing up, she stepped out of the tub, mindless of the water she left in puddles behind her. She couldn't make sense of these dreams that were plaguing her. Deep down she felt she was missing some part of the puzzle, that there was something hiding that she just could not see.

Wrapping the towel around her wet hair, she reached for her robe on the hook behind the door. 'Good grief' she thought as she spotted her reflection in the mirror, 'I could scare myself.' Quickly she dried her hair with the towel, flipped into a messy ponytail and ran to her closet for some comfy pants and loose top. She noticed her daughter sound asleep in her crib and leaned down to give her a soft kiss on the head.

Johnny turned when he heard the door to the bedroom open and smiled when he saw Bree walk out looking refreshed. "Feeling better?" he asked.

"Much, but why are you still here?" replied Bree. "You should be home by now. Morning is going to come early for you."

"I know but I just wanted to make sure our daughter got settled down and you were relaxed after your soak in the bath. Decided to wash your hair?"

"Not really. I fell asleep and slipped under," Bree stated rather sheepishly.

Both Johnny and Mandy chuckled at the look on her face. Bree walked Johnny to the door and told him to drive careful on his way home. He pulled her into his arms and softly kissed her, telling her he would call her sometime tomorrow. Shutting the door after watching him back out of the driveway, she set the alarm wondering just how well the thing really worked.

Johnny raced into the locker room. Opening his locker, he quickly began to change into his uniform. He couldn't believe how slow traffic was this morning. Throwing his bag into the locker, he turned to head to the engine bay, kicking his locker shut with his foot. He hurried into the engine bay only to slide to a stop when he realized no one was standing there waiting for roll call. Scratching his head in confusion, he walked into the day room and found Roy and the Captain sitting there.

"What's going on? I thought for sure I was gonna be late today cuz of the slow traffic and I find no one's here except for you guys," he said as he grabbed a cup of coffee and joined them at the table.

Captain Stanley looked up at Johnny and replied, "The engine and squad got called out just before I arrived. Mike is in my office making a phone call and as for Marco and Chet…I have no clue where those two are or why they are late today."

"Hope it's nothing serious," stated Johnny as he grabbed the sport section out from under Roy's hand.

"Hey, I was going to read that," growled Roy looking at his partner with a sour expression.

"Not right now you ain't, I am. You have your eyes on the variety section it looks like to me," Johnny retorted laughing at him. "What's got you in an owly mood?"

"Besides the lack of sleep," stated Roy. "Jennifer came down with the flu and was up half the night."

"Well, here's….," Johnny started to say when Roy interrupted him.

"Don't even say it!" he cried.

Before Johnny could even reply, Mike walked in and told them that he just got off the phone with Marco. Chet was supposed to pick him up as his vehicle was in the shop due to a flat tire he discovered last night. He said that Chet had just called him and said the brakes were leaking on his VW bus and that both of them were taking the bus and might be a little later than they expected.

While the guys speculated on the run of bad luck they had been having lately, the engine and squad were backing into the bay. Captain Stanley talked to two of the guys from C shift who said they would stay until Chet and Marco arrived.

As they waited for Marco and Chet to arrive, Roy and Johnny performed diagnostics on their equipment, checking the bio-phone and EKG connection with Rampart. Having completed the diagnostics, Johnny grabbed the drug box to inventory what they needed during a supply run to the hospital. He no sooner had completed the list when both they and the engine were called out for unknown type of rescue…a child stuck.

Quickly shutting the compartment doors, Johnny jumped in the squad. Mike hit the button to open the engine bay doors and was surprised when Marco and Chet came running in. The guys from C shift chuckled as they spotted the two very late crew members running in…but they weren't laughing too hard as those very late crew members tossed their gear at them while they jumped on the truck before it took off.

Johnny told Roy to take a right as they left the station. Mike wasn't that far behind them. From the address he was reading on the paper the Cap gave him, they were heading to a playground at a park not too far from the station. After four and a half blocks, he told Roy to take another right and head another four blocks north.

"I wonder what the child got stuck in," said Johnny as he kept his eye on the intersections ahead, looking for anybody who might not stop.

"Me too," replied Roy. "I know they put in some new equipment a couple of months ago as Jo said Chris really was having fun on the monkey bars, swinging all over them."

"Parking lot is up ahead," said Johnny. "I think the playground is right next to it."

Pulling into the parking lot, the paramedics spotted the crowd in the playground and figured that was where the incident was. Johnny jumped out before Roy had the vehicle completely stopped, grabbed the bio-phone and headed towards the playground. Roy was right behind him with the drug box.

"Wow! Charlie, they sent everybody for you!" shouted a boy in a black and white striped shirt and shorts who looked to be 10 years of age.

As the crowd parted for the rescue workers, Johnny and Roy were greeted by a sight they had never come across before. A young boy about 9 years of age had his head stuck in the monkey bars. He was a slight child with a small build but obviously not as small as he thought. Johnny had to choke back the laughter as the look of indignation on the child's face just about sent him over the edge.

Barely fitting underneath the arch of the bars, Johnny looked up at the face above him. "Hi, young man. My name is Johnny Gage. What's your name?"

"Charlie…Charlie Bennett. Am I gonna be in trouble, mister?" asked the boy.

"Not with me, Charlie, but I can't say the same if your mother finds out," replied Johnny. "Can you tell me what prompted you to do this to yourself?"

Even though he couldn't move his head around, he reached the best he could with his arm towards the young boy who had shouted earlier. "Davey did. He promised me his GI Joe truck if I could get myself through the monkey bars without getting stuck."

"Did not!" shouted Davey. "I said I might give it to you if you could do it without getting stuck. You weren't supposed to try it from the top."

Before the boys got into a verbal argument, Roy pulled Davey aside and asked him if both he and Charlie lived around there. Davey nodded his head yes. When he asked Charlie if his mother was home, Charlie clammed up. He wasn't gonna tell as he knew his mom would be mad that he was even listening to Davey's harebrained idea in the first place. Davey whispered to Roy that he knew Charlie's mom was at home and he would go get her. Charlie watched as his best friend took off to go find his mother.

"Rampart…Squad 51…Can you read?" asked Roy.

Dixie answered him. "I can hear you loud and clear, 51."

"Rampart, we have a boy about 9 years old with his head stuck between the rungs of a monkey bar. He is not experiencing any pressure upon the throat and is breathing normally. Stand by for vitals."

Dixie looked at Joe Early as he approached the base station. "Did I hear 51 correctly…they have a kid with his head stuck in the monkey bars?"

Chuckling, Dixie replied, "You heard them correctly…stuck between the rungs of the monkey bars. I can't wait to hear the story of this one."

When they realized they weren't going to be needed, the guys of Engine 51 headed back. Half an hour later with a tube of Vaseline rubbed all over the bars and Charlie's neck and head, he was free. His mother promised to take him to the family doctor to have him checked over. Charlie thanked Johnny and Roy for helping him out of an embarrassing situation and promised never to do that again.

"Well, Junior, what do we need from Rampart?" asked Roy as he started up the squad.

"Aside from a new tube of Vaseline," retorted Johnny with a chuckle. "Just a few items that the guys used on that run before our shift was completely under way."

With that said, he waved his arm towards the road and they headed for Rampart. Johnny smiled as he knew he would have a few minutes to run into Bree.

Bree literally threw her empty coffee cup at the fireplace…she was that mad. It was bad enough she had overslept and got up late. As she raced out of the bedroom and into the kitchen, she grabbed her cup from last night and was just ready to fill it when Mandy handed her the Variety section of the LA Times. The headline on the first page put her in a very foul mood.

"By the time I am done with those two twits, they are going to be wishing they had been anywhere but in the vicinity of that park yesterday!" she shouted.

Knowing her cousin's temper when it broke free of its boundaries could be formidable, she let her rant and rave until the pace slowed before she answered her.

"I know," replied Mandy. "But what are you going to do about damage control at Rampart? You have to realize by the time you get to work the press is going to be all over the place."

"You think I haven't realized that?" retorted Bree sarcastically. "Sorry, Mandy, I shouldn't take it out on you. "

"That's alright, I'm used to it," she chuckled. "Seriously though, what are you going to do?"

"The only thing I can do…sneak into Rampart and walk out as who I am and give the press what they want…a story for their paper."

Winking at her cousin, Bree walked back into her bedroom. Curiosity getting the best of her, Mandy followed Bree and chuckled when she realized what the girl was up to. She picked Sierra up out of her crib and whispered that they were going to leave her mother to herself and go get breakfast.

Pulling into the parking lot of Rampart's Emergency Room, Roy and Johnny exchanged puzzled glances as to what the commotion was around the ER.

"Wonder who is garnering the commotion at Rampart?" questioned Johnny. When Roy didn't answer him right away, Johnny looked over at him and asked, "What's up?"

"Can't say, Junior, but I hope we can get into the ER for supplies," replied Roy.

It took a bit of maneuvering but eventually they got into the ER. Both of them were thinking that hopefully it won't be a busy day for the emergency room staff or the ambulance drivers bringing patients in as that crowd was not budging from their stance at all.

Approaching the nurses'/base station, they could tell Dixie was not happy with the situation outside. There was no sign of Dr. Brackett or Dr. Early.

"Hey, Dix, what's with all the paparazzi outside the ER?" asked Johnny. He backed up a step when he saw the fire in Dixie's eyes.

"Damn reporters, each and every one of them," retorted Dixie. "All it took was one newspaper article and it set off that circus outside!"

"What newspaper article?" Johnny asked her.

Absentmindedly, Dixie threw the paper that was in her hands at Johnny. Roy proceeded to look down at the floor and then at Dixie, then down the hall…anywhere but over at Johnny who was watching him wondering what he knew.

"Roy?"

"Just read it, Johnny. It will tell you the rest," he said to his partner with a sigh.

On the front page of the Variety section, Johnny saw a picture of Bree singing up on stage at the pavilion in the park. The reporter for the story was the same one who had asked the general public to help her locate the newly hired singer for Dakota Dreaming. She had asked them in the first article, "Is she or isn't she?" Now she had written that the mystery had been solved, that she knew exactly who the new lead singer was and where she worked, etc. He could feel the color draining from his face.

_A few months ago, I asked the loyal readers of the LA Times to help me solve_

_a mystery that had captured my attention. It started when the backup_

_band for a popular country singer surfaced in Long Beach and began _

_performing at the club known as Red Wolf. They held auditions for a new lead _

_singer. The young woman they hired bore a remarkable resemblance to Bree_

_Montgomery. Who this girl was I had no clue._

_Memorial Day weekend proved to be very fruitful in this quest. At a local_

_park in Torrance, I found Dakota Dreaming putting on a free concert. During_

_the course of their performance, I met two loyal readers who were very_

_helpful in giving me the lowdown on this young woman. Her name is _

_Brenna Leigh and she is a lab technician at Rampart General Hospital. _

_In the course of our conversation, I also discovered that this same young woman only_

_had recently moved to California and begun working at Rampart. So now I_

_wonder…just where did she come from?_

_Thanking these two new friends for their help, I raced back to my office and called in _

_every favor I was owed to figure out the end to this mystery. Just who is Brenna Leigh?_

_Up until four months ago, she never existed. Brenna Leigh just does not exist, at least _

_not in the real world. That leaves only one obvious answer…she really is _

_the one and only Bree Montgomery._

_But why the secrecy? Why hide from the fans? My next quest_

_is to find out why. If anyone out there knows the answer to this_

_mystery, don't hesitate to contact Dana Reese, Variety reporter_

_for the LA Times._

"Son of a…!" exclaimed Johnny as he threw the paper down on the counter. Turning to Roy, he asked, "Did you know about this?"

"Just before we were called, I had started reading it. I was going to talk to you about in the squad but by the time we got to the playground and here…well it was too late," replied Roy. "Sorry."

"Not your fault," he stated. "How the heck did she find that information?"

Dixie waited until he paused for a breath before she answered. "I think I have an idea of just who 'leaked' this information out but I have to wait until they arrive for work before I get my answers."

"This has just about got to have Brackett really steamed," chuckled Johnny even though he was still steaming mad about the article.

"He is. In fact, he is talking to the head of security right now and supposedly they are talking with the Chief of Police to see what they can have done to keep them away from the ER and the hospital. If he had been given his way, he would have had one of the area ambulances just run them all over."

"Hey, Roy, give me the keys to the squad. I think I could run them over for Dr. Brackett right now," stated Johnny. Glancing back at Dixie, he asked, "Does Bree know about this circus outside?"

"No," said Dixie. "She is on the late morning shift and doesn't have to come in until 9 a.m. I've tried calling her but have gotten no answer at home."

While Johnny, Roy and Dixie tried to figure out a way to help Dr. Brackett with the media circus outside, the object of the article pulled into the employee parking lot at Rampart. She chuckled to herself when she saw the crowd outside the ER and thought that Dr. Brackett was probably having a cow right now. Walking up to the blocked entrance to the ER, she tapped a young man on the shoulder and asked him what the excitement was about.

"Did you see the article a couple of months back in the LA Times about Bree Montgomery?" he said.

"Yeah but I didn't pay that much attention to it," she replied to his question. "I'm not that interested in country music. Why…what's that got to do with everyone here?"

"The reporter, Dana Reese, has another installment for the mystery. Only it seems the mystery has been solved. She works here."

"Who? Bree Montgomery?" she asked trying to keep the giggle out of her voice.

"Well, we don't know if it's her but the mystery of the new lead singer for her former backup band was solved and she works here in the lab at Rampart. Do you know her? Her name is Brenna Leigh," stated the young man. "By the way, my name is Dustin Kramer. I work for People Magazine." He handed her a card with his name on it and the People logo.

"I don't recognize the name, sorry," she said. "I would love to stay and chat with you but unfortunately I have to get to work. Good luck with catching this person."

Pushing her way through the crowds, Bree was stopped more than once and questioned by some of the noisier reporters who wouldn't take no for an answer. Twice she almost broke up laughing at some of the questioning methods of these idiots. Finally reaching the entrance to Rampart's ER, she turned and waved at the young man she met on her arrival.

Coming around the corner of the hall, she spotted Roy and Johnny talking with Dixie at the base station. Dr. Brackett and the head of Rampart's Security Department were just coming off the elevator. Stopping at the base station, Bree could tell by Dr. Brackett's body language that he was not happy with the events unfolding outside of his emergency room.

Nobody gave her a second look (except for maybe Dixie as she didn't recognize her) as she walked towards the nurses' station. Johnny was trying to get a point across to Roy and Dr. Brackett when he almost hit Bree in the head. Absentmindedly, he apologized and kept on talking to the doctor. She stopped at the edge of the counter of the nurses' station and just listened.

"We are waiting for the Legal Department to contact us on the best course we can take with the idiots prowling around outside," stated Dr. Brackett. "They originally were haunting the front of the hospital and when security chased them out of there, they came to hang out back…all because some idiot said most of the lab staff comes through the ER anyway."

"The problem is going to be when Bree shows up…in order to get the scoop they will all but run over her!" exclaimed Johnny.

"I highly doubt that," said a voice from behind them. "They wouldn't know who she is even if she was standing right beside them."

All heads swung around to see who had voiced that comment from behind them. Dr. Brackett couldn't remember ever seeing this nurse in the ER before and Dixie was pretty sure she had never trained this young woman. The girl giggled for a moment before she winked at Johnny.

Johnny was taken aback by this young woman who was obviously new to Rampart. All he could think is that he really didn't need another nurse chasing after him especially now that he and Bree were together and moving forward in their relationship. He glanced over at Roy whose lips were curled in a smirk as if he knew just who the dark-haired girl was.

She walked up to Johnny and reaching up she grabbed his face in her hands, pulling him down for a kiss. Gently but firmly, he put his hands on her arms and pushed himself out of her embrace.

"I'm sorry, miss, but I don't feel that what you are trying to do is appropriate," stated Johnny. "I have a very wonderful girlfriend and I know she would not appreciate what you just tried to do."

Behind him, Roy and Dixie were smothering their giggles behind their hands. By now, Dixie had figured out who was standing with them, even though Johnny had not. Dr. Brackett was not finding the humor with either situation plaguing his ER at the moment and just as he was about the break up this little get together, he got the surprise of the day.

Bree smiled as Johnny released his hold on her. Dropping the southern accent she adopted when she arrived at the hospital, she looked up at her boyfriend and said, "Good Morning, sweetheart. How's your day?"

"Bree?" he asked her with a look of total confusion written all over his face. He could hear, Roy, Dixie and now Dr. Brackett behind him chuckling as they had realized that Bree managed to get by the media outside the ER doors and was standing right in front of them.

"Yeah, it's me, Johnny," replied Bree with a giggle. "I haven't had that much fun in a long time, or at least since I told Traci to buzz off.' She reached up and pulled the dark brown wig off, shaking her head to loosen the blonde hair she had wedged underneath it.

Turning to Dr. Brackett, she apologized to him for the whole fiasco out by the ER doors. She explained to him what she had planned and stopped Johnny's protest with one look.

"Johnny, it's got to be done. Pandora has opened the box and we have to fix it," Bree stated matter-of-factly. "We have to do damage control or this circus will continue to disrupt the quality of care here at Rampart."

While Brackett and the head of security worked out the details, Roy called the station to ask the Captain if they could be available from Rampart so to help out with the media circus. Captain Stanley agreed to the plan but told Roy to keep the radio close at hand. He then notified Sam at the dispatch office where Squad 51 would be for the time being.

Bree had run down to the lab to talk with her supervisor. She was planning on taking a leave of absence for a few weeks until (hopefully) this blew over. When she came back up to the ER, Johnny was shocked at the change in her appearance. She had removed the dark contacts that had concealed her dark sapphire eyes. Her hair was loosely styled and her makeup was now minimal. Her look was understated but the confidence she exuded showed she was in her element.

"Did you find the reporter from People?" she asked Johnny.

"Yeah, Dr. Brackett had us put him in the staff lounge with the blinds drawn. He is a little confused as to why he was the only one asked to come in," replied Johnny. "Are you sure you want to do this?"

"Yes, I am sure," stated Bree as she smiled at him. "He seemed very sincere and I have read People magazine and they are much more than one of those ratty tabloids I have seen in grocery stores. I would rather give the exclusive to them and piss off everyone else. What about the rest of the media?"

"LAPD showed up with a mandate that they can only be within a certain distance of the hospital so they are now across the street from Rampart with orders to stay put and not cross the street or there will be arrests made."

Just as she and Johnny were going to go join the People reporter, the radio in Roy's hand went off sending them running for the squad. As he headed after his partner, Johnny shouted to Bree over his shoulder that he would talk to her later. Chuckling as she watched him run, she turned to Dixie to ask her if she could be present during the interview with the People magazine reporter. Checking with Carol to see if she would be fine, she told Bree no problem. The pair headed for the staff lounge, looking forward to giving this young man the scoop of his career.

Backing into the station, Roy and Johnny sighed with relief to finally be back at the station. The whole day went from one strange call to another. This last one had been for a fire in an abandoned building. As they approached the building, someone had run up to them, shouting that they thought they saw someone running into the building. Captain Stanley shouted for Roy and Johnny to don their gear and go check it out.

Chet and Marco had kept a steady stream of water on them until they were clear of the smoke. Luckily it was only a single story building so they didn't have to worry about checking a second story. Motioning to each other, they did a quick sweep. Johnny thought he had seen something in one room but when he entered it, a corner of the ceiling started to buckle so he backed out quickly.

Meeting somewhere in the middle of the mess, Roy shook his head indicating he had found nothing with Johnny echoing that. They began the task of heading back towards the main doors. About two feet from the door, they both heard an ominous creaking noise above their heads. Their radio came to life telling them to get the heck out NOW. Diving for the door, they felt hands grab them as the roof collapsed behind them.

"That was strange," said Johnny as he got out of the squad. "The building had been locked yet they said they thought someone was in the building."

"I know. The owner said no one had occupied that building for more than two years. He said he tries to keep the building up to code in case someone wanted to rent it and also checked on at least twice a month as there had been a few break-ins," replied Roy.

"It just doesn't make any sense why someone would tell us that they saw someone running into a building that is supposedly locked."

Roy shrugged his shoulders as reply to Johnny's statement and indicated he was going to grab the shower, heading towards the locker room. Johnny was going to detour into the captain's office to use the phone but Captain Stanley was already on it. He headed into the day room instead and found Chet, Marco and Mike lounging at the kitchen table.

"Hey, Gage! What's with this article on your girlfriend?" asked Chet as he glanced up at his favorite pigeon. "This reporter sure has everyone in an uproar over her."

Grabbing a glass of milk, he sat down next to Mike before he answered Chet. "I know but I'm not sure why she has taken it upon herself to solve a 'so-called mystery' as to the disappearance or reappearance of Bree Montgomery." He took a drink of milk and continued, "I feel sorry for the two that ratted out Bree as Dixie and Brackett are quite irate over the media circus that descended on Rampart."

Chet ducked his head for a moment. When he redirected his gaze back to Johnny, he was a little red in the face. "I think I am pretty sure I know who did it. That's all they had been talking about last week before the Memorial Day picnic."

"Dixie knows too, Chet. In fact, if I think she said something to the effect that she had to wait until they showed up for work this afternoon to have a chat," he replied with a devious chuckle.

"Yeah, I'd hate to be either one of them right now," stated Chet as he picked up the sports section of the paper and tried to concentrate on that.

The rest of the day went quietly for the guys. A couple more runs for the squad, none which were life threatening. The engine went out one more time for a trash bin lit by some kids goofing around with firecrackers. After a stern lecture from both Captain Stanley and a police officer, the kids were returned to their parents who looked none too pleased with them.

Before calling it a day, Johnny slipped into the captain's office to make a phone call to Bree. She sounded quite relaxed when she came to the phone and told him she was looking forward to a month's leave of absence from work to begin a new project.

He slipped back into his bed and was just about ready to zonk out when Chet whispered from across the room.

"Did she blow you a kiss goodnight over the phone, Gage?"

"Put a sock in it, Kelly!" was his response. He could hear the snickering from Chet's bunk.

"Aw, come on, Gage. You know the rest of us live vicariously through your romances. We just can't help it if we _need_ to know the details," he shot back at his pigeon.

"Kelly, if I wasn't so tired, I would throw my pillow or something worse at you," retorted Johnny as he tried to stifle a yawn.

"Is that the…" started Chet before Captain Stanley interrupted the verbal sparring.

"Kelly, enough!" barked Hank from his bunk. "If you don't shut up and go to sleep, for the next six months you'll be on latrine duty!" And before Johnny could smart back to Chet, they heard the captain say to him, "Not another word from you either, Gage, or you'll be doing the next six months after him."

For the next seven and a half hours, peace reigned over Station 51 and its occupants.

"So how's Bree enjoying her time off?" Roy asked Johnny as he came bounding in the dayroom at Station 51.

"It's been two weeks so far and she won't tell me what she has been up to," replied Johnny as he grabbed a cup of coffee.

Roy hid his face behind the paper as he knew it had to be driving Johnny nuts that Bree was being secretive about what she is doing. He found it amusing that Johnny had finally found someone who drive him about as nuts as he could drive others.

"It's got to be driving you nuts, Junior, to have someone who can make you as crazy as you do us here on occasion," he chuckled at the look on Johnny's face when it finally registered what he said.

"Drive you guys crazy?!" exclaimed Johnny. "I don't do that…do I?"

"Are you kidding, Gage? You drive us crazy all the time," retorted Chet as he entered the dayroom followed by Mike and Marco. "I know I'm about ready for the psychiatrist couch from listening to you month after month going on about this girl or that girl."

"Kelly, you've been ready for the couch since the day you were born," commented Johnny over his shoulder as he refilled his coffee cup.

"He's got you on that one, Chet," stated Marco as he chuckled at the verbal sparring that never seems to end between the two.

"Hey, whose side are you on anyway, Marco?" cried Chet.

Laughing as he ducked the section of the newspaper that Chet threw at him, replied "My own. It's kinda fun to get one back at you, Chet."

"Where's the cap?" asked Johnny as he sat down at the table.

"In his office. Chief McConnike called, not sure what it's about but Cap seemed pretty nervous," stated Mike as he walked in.

For the next fifteen minutes, the guys sat in quiet contemplation, each in their own thoughts. Chet kept sneaking glances at Johnny as _the phantom_ was trying to figure out the next prank for his pigeon. He looked over at Marco who was going through the cupboards and writing down items…he figured he must be working on the menu for dinner tonight.

Captain Hank Stanley hung up the phone, sitting for a few moments trying to figure out what to tell his men in the next room. What Chief McConnike told him made the hair on his arms and the back of his neck stand on end. It seems Station 51's string of bad luck just got worse. Knowing he couldn't put off the inevitable, he got up and walked into the dayroom.

"What'd the Chief want, Cap?" asked Chet.

Hank looked at each man individually before he answered Chet's question. "Boys, as you know I was on the phone talking with Chief McConnike. He called to let me know he had received the fire investigator's report from that warehouse fire a few weeks back. It was definitely found to be a case of arson."

"The owner torched his own building?" asked Mike.

"No," Hank replied. "He was found completely innocent of this crime." He got up and walked over to the chalkboard and then turned back to look at his men as he leaned against the board. The guys had never seen the Cap so lost for words.

"Then what it is, Cap?" asked Roy. "You look pretty shook up over what the Chief said."

"It's not the arson that has me shook up. It's what he said was found left outside of the building on the last day of their investigation that has me rattled," he stated. "The investigator said when he walked outside after his final run through the building he found a small black box with a purple orchid on it…sitting on the hood of his car."

When Hank mentioned the purple orchid, both Johnny's and Marco's head shot up in attention. Glancing over at each other, they instantly knew what the other was thinking. Roy didn't miss the exchanged look between his partner and Marco. He knew what they were thinking…Bree's stalker is watching them too. They hadn't realized that their captain quit talking when he realized they weren't listening.

"Is something the matter, boys?" he asked.

Johnny spoke up first. "I guess we are just curious as to what that has to do with us."

"According to the investigator, inside the box were six photos…one for each of us. But what got his attention was your picture, Johnny. It had one red line drawn diagonally across it and on the back one word, SOON."

Hank let this information sink in before he continued. "Now I am not sure what the significance of the purple orchid means…"

Before Hank could finish his sentence, a voice interrupted him from the entrance to the engine bay. "You might not know the significance of the flower, Captain, but I do."

The guys had been so intent on catching what their captain had to tell them about this case of arson and finding their photos at the scene that none of them noticed Bree standing in the doorway until she spoke. Hank's head shot up and he was surprised to see who had walked in.

"Miss Leigh, I didn't even hear you come in," he stated. "You said you know what the significance of the orchid that the investigator found on his car."

"Yes, I do," Bree replied as she walked up to the table and stood directly behind Johnny. "It's meant as a warning to anyone who knows me."

Johnny reached up and took her hand that was resting on his shoulder. He didn't want to turn around as he could tell by the tone of her voice that Bree was not only rattled by what she heard the captain say but that she was also trying to keep her emotions under control. He knew she had just about reached her breaking point with this and squeezed her hand in reassurance that he was there for her.

Hank looked at the clasped hands of the young couple and smiled. "Would you be able to describe all of this to us as to the significance of the flower and what it has to do with you…and now Station 51?" Before she could answer his question, he continued, "The reason I ask is Chief McConnike is on his way to the station with two detectives to talk with us about this incident and who would have reason to target us."

With a deep sigh, Bree answered, "I can describe it all in detail, believe me. The problem is that the start of this whole fiasco was never reported in the first place and I only have myself to blame."

"Bree," said Marco as he got up from his chair. "Why don't you sit down and I'll get you something to drink."

"Thanks, Marco. Personally, something stronger would be nice but since that's not on the menu, I would love a glass of water." She turned back to the guys and continued speaking. "I won't start the tale right now as it would be easier to wait until your chief and the two detectives arrive and tell it all at one time."

Marco set the glass in front of Bree and grabbed the other vacant chair and sat down to wait for the chief and the detectives to arrive. Silence descended in the dayroom as each of them withdrew into their own thoughts. Even Chet was quiet as he sensed this was not the time to be a smart aleck. Johnny held Bree's hand as she laid her head on his shoulder. He could sense weariness that was evident in her body language and in the way she pulled her chair close to him. Softly he asked her where their daughter was and she said Joanne was watching her right now.

Hank always worried when the chief came to visit but this visit made him more nervous for reasons he couldn't identify. Why would somebody target them for harm and what did Johnny's girlfriend have to do with it. Voices echoed through the engine bay and the men jumped to attention as they all recognized the fire chief's voice.

The chief immediately noticed Bree and looked towards Hank for an explanation. Johnny helped Bree out of her chair and took her to introduce her to the chief.

"Young lady, it's nice to meet you but I am afraid you cannot be here for this meeting," stated Chief McConnike in a matter-of-fact tone of voice.

Bree raised an eyebrow at the man who reminded her of her grandfather and in the same tone of voice replied, "I'm afraid you are going to want me at this meeting, sir."

Chief McConnike stared at the girl surprised at her cheekiness. "What makes you think you would have anything to contribute to our meeting? What we need to talk about concerns this station and last I heard we didn't have female firefighters yet."

"Because I know what the orchid your fire inspector found on his car means to the men of this station," she stated calmly.

He looked over at Hank who just nodded his head and then glanced to the men standing at the table. He couldn't understand what or how this girl knew the significance of the flower or the pictures found in the box. Turning to the two men who came with him, he introduced Detective Crockett (who the guys knew from before) and Detective Davison with the LAPD. He indicated for everyone to sit down.

Detective Davison looked at Bree and asked her, "Just how do you fit into this picture? From what Fire Inspector Johnston told us, the only pictures in the box were of these six men from Station 51."

"Because of me, those pictures and flower represent a danger to these men…particularly Johnny," replied Bree.

The detectives looked at each other before Davison continued. "What you do mean because of you? Is it an ex-boyfriend or lover who doesn't approve of who you are seeing or the men you hang around with?"

"Absolutely not!" retorted Bree. "For the last six years I haven't had time for a boyfriend much less a lover. Beside my parents would have been mortified."

"Okay. Now you have my curiosity peaked and I'm gonna bite…what has kept you so busy?" asked Crockett as he kept an eye on Johnny who looked like he was going to pounce on Davison if he kept up his line of questioning. He wasn't ready for her answer.

"Touring and recording until 1975," replied Bree sarcastically to his question. "After that I was living in Alaska until March of this year."

Johnny decided it was time to step in as he could tell from Bree's expression she's had enough. He knew she was still shocked over what she had heard the captain telling them and to have a detective ask her if it was an ex-lover that could be doing this put her right at the edge.

"Detective, my name is Johnny Gage. Would you mind if I filled you in on the back story? My girlfriend has had a shock in learning the cause of this meeting and I don't think some of your questions have helped her in this matter at all." He glanced at Bree and said, "With your permission of course."

Bree smiled and acquiesced to his request with a nod of her head. She whispered to him that he needed to tell the whole story including who she really was. Roy and Marco chuckled at how the 'Gage' charm had gotten the detectives off of Bree's back and put the attention squarely on him.

"Just what does this have to do with her anyway?" asked Davison.

"This individual who left the flower and our pictures is someone who'd been stalking her in the past and until now she thought had fallen off the face of the earth," replied Johnny. "Now, will you listen to what we need to tell you so you understand the significance of the flower that was left behind?"

The detectives and Chief McConnike agreed to listen (along with his coworkers who only knew a small part of Bree's musical background) until Johnny completed the back story leading up to the orchid placed at the scene of the fire. As Johnny began to tell them about Bree's background, Marco and Chet got up and poured coffee for everyone except Bree. Chet started another pot while Marco took the cups around to everyone.

Johnny filled them in on Bree's musical past including the fact that her real name is Bree Montgomery and that during her last tour in 1974 she had an 'admirer' who had been leaving her flowers and little gifts that slowly turned into more personal types of gifts. When it came to talking about her possible abduction, Bree interrupted Johnny and took over that part of the story. The detectives grilled her about why she didn't have the attempted abduction reported. Like two dogs with a bone, they would not relent on this line of questioning until once more Johnny stepped in and redirected them.

At one point, Bree got up to stretch. She walked to the window and just stared up at the sky. She could hear Johnny telling them of her parents and grandparents deaths towards the end of her tour and her collapse upon hearing the awful news. He spoke of her recuperating at the family's lake home in Minnesota, her trip to California to spend time with her cousin there and how they met. She smiled as she listened to him talk of how and where they met and the four days they spent together before she left.

As she let the memories roll over her once again, she never heard Johnny coming to the end of the story or being asked to return to the table. Johnny excused himself for a moment and walked over to his girlfriend. She just about jumped out of her skin when she felt his mouth near her ear.

"Sweetheart," he whispered in her ear. "The detectives would like to ask you some more questions if you are up to it."

"I think I can manage it," she said. "You did a nice job explaining our relationship."

"I wasn't gonna tell them every detail," he said with a chuckle. "Some things just can't be told."

She leaned her head back as she laughed out loud. The two detectives could see the strong connection between the fireman and the country star and could see why he was very protective of her. She sat down on the chair by the corner of the table and looked the detectives directly in the eye.

"What else did you want to know?" she asked.

"Mr. Gage here said that you received a package on Memorial Day that was of a personal nature and also featured an orchid on the cover of the box. Is that correct?" questioned Detective Crockett.

"That is correct. My cousin discovered it Saturday night when she returned home from a barbeque that Johnny was holding at his home to celebrate finally moving into his ranch house. She waited until Monday morning when I got home to clue me in on it."

"Could you tell us exactly what that package included?"

Bree shuddered for a moment, a movement that wasn't lost on the detectives, before she answered. "It contained a white negligée and nestled on top of the negligée was a diamond engagement ring with a note attached that read _'With this ring, I thee wed.'_ I still feel physically ill when I think about it."

Detective Davison looked at Johnny and then to Bree and asked, "How did this individual get inside your house especially if you have a security system and why didn't you call the police immediately to report this?"

"I saw no need to report it as I have no proof that he is my stalker except for the flower. I have never reported the attempted abduction or the personal gifts he'd been leaving for me at each of my venues in 1974. If you want, I have everything that he ever left for me at my concert venues and this last one at my house."

"Why would you keep these items?" asked both Johnny and the detectives at the same time.

She took a deep breath and said, "I know it sounds a bit crazy but I did it because I had a feeling someday they might come in handy…if he ever returned and we figured out who he really is. The notes that came with the gifts were also a little too personal for a fan to give. My parents never saw the more personal of gifts as I would stuff them in the bottom of my personal tote and when I got home they were locked in the trunk in my closet."

"But why, Bree, why didn't you tell your parents or show them the items?" asked Johnny as he knelt by her chair.

"Because they would have made me quit performing and I didn't want that to happen. I enjoyed what I was doing and I wasn't going to let some two-bit crazed fan stop me from it," exclaimed Bree as she put her face in her hands for a moment before softly continuing. "And right now I would do anything to change my decision back then if it would have kept my parents alive."

Detective Crockett knew there was something else this young woman had never disclosed to anyone about her abductor or the death of her family. He wondered if this stalker had maybe done something that caused the accident that took the lives of her parents and grandparents. He walked around the table to the other side of Bree's chair and relaxed against the table's edge before he approached her with this sensitive subject.

"Bree?" he asked. "I think there is something you haven't told us or the rest of the people in this room, something else that happened or you suspect happened, isn't there?"

"Oh, dear lord," cried Bree softly. "For so long I have denied what they told me about the accident. I couldn't believe what they told…no, that's not true I didn't want to believe what they told me."

Johnny turned and glanced at Roy seated behind him and then at his other coworkers. "Honey, I'm here for you and so are the rest of the guys. If it helps shed light on why we are being targeted, we're here to help you through it."

Looking up, Bree tried to smile but the warmth of that smile just didn't reach her eyes. "I just hope you all feel that way after I finish the rest of this sordid tale." She bowed her head for a moment and took a deep breath before continuing on. "The roads were a little icy from a brief freezing rain that had come through the area. When the police had arrived on the scene, they noticed the front tire on the drivers' side had blown and immediately figured that was the cause of the accident. But when they looked inside the car, they realized something more drastic had taken place."

She paused as she could hear Marco's prayers in Spanish and Chet's barely concealed swearing. She couldn't bring herself to glance at Johnny as she was afraid she would start crying. At Detective Crockett's gentle urging, she continued with her narrative. "In the coroner's report we had been given, it stated that only one person died on impact. The rest were still alive, seriously injured but alive. What they were able to deduce from the scene is that before the rescue crews arrived, someone was already there…but instead of performing any first aid, this person shot each one at point blank range…"

Detective Crockett could see the young woman was close to tears and nodded to Johnny to take her out of the room so she could regain her composure. Johnny stood up and helped Bree who barely realized that she was being removed from the dayroom. He turned to his partner and softly they exchanged theories and ideas. He mentioned to Davison that they needed to wait until the girl returned before continuing with questions.

"Bree, honey, look at me," said Johnny. He had taken her into the dorm room for privacy. Sitting on the edge of his bed, he had pulled her onto his lap and just held her for a bit. "Come on, sweetheart, look at me."

Finally Bree raised her head. As she made eye contact with Johnny, the dam burst. She couldn't hold back a year's worth of tears. He wrapped his arms tighter around her and just let her cry her heart out on his shoulder as he knew she needed this.

"I am so sorry, Johnny," she said as she sniffled trying to get herself under control. "It seems I am forever crying on your shoulder."

"I don't mind, sweetheart, but can I ask you this…just how long have you been holding this secret to yourself?" he asked.

"Too damn long," she replied with a nervous giggle. "I've told no one this secret as it was too painful to even think about. The car had been rammed in the driver's side causing my father's death instantaneously and sending the car rolling down the embankment."

Back in the dayroom, Crockett and Davison talked with the guys about the bad luck they thought had visited them one too many times, like Marco's flat tire, Chet's brake line. Mike spoke up and told them about finding his windshield broken one morning. He said he hadn't said anything, as earlier that day he had seen some of the neighborhood kids playing baseball in their yard and figured they had done it but were too scared to tell him about it. So far, Roy and Captain Stanley had been spared the bad luck. Crockett asked about Johnny and Roy explained to him about Johnny 'accidentally' being ran off the road a couple of months back.

Figuring this had started a little farther back than they all realized, Crockett questioned them to see if anything had seemed out of the ordinary in recent months. None of them could come up with anything that seemed odd to them except for the events that occurred from Memorial Day until now.

Johnny walked back into the dayroom alone as Bree had stepped into the locker room to 'repair herself' even though he kept telling her she looked fine. He thought to himself most women would love to look that good after they had been crying. He could see Crockett and Davison were still here and talking with Captain Stanley and Chief McConnike on the best way to keep an eye on the targeted men without getting in their way and hampering them at their jobs. The four men decided to go into the captain's office to hammer out the details.

"Is Bree okay?" asked Roy as Johnny sat down next to him at the table.

"Yeah, she just needed to cry away a year's worth of stress from keeping this inside of her," replied Johnny. "She has kept that secret from everyone. She told me that the coroner's report came to her about three weeks' after the funerals. She had been home alone and after she read it, she said she hid the letter from her family and took a shower, crying her heart out in the shower."

"She's got some strength in her," said Roy. "Most people I know would have buckled under that amount of stress by now."

"What surprises me," stated Chet as he joined in the conversation "is how she managed to not go totally and thoroughly crazy from everything that has been thrown at her. No wonder she has a wicked sense of humor."

Chuckling at the sight of Chet running from Bree and her water gun, Johnny said, "True. But you have to remember, Chet, she did breakdown for a while. That is why she was at her family's lake home in Minnesota because she was having a problem coping with what had happened. She hadn't told anyone about what she had learned and it was taking its toll on her."

The conversation soon turned to the fact that they had not been called out at all for a run. Before Chief McConnike had arrived with the detectives, he had called on a couple other fire stations near Station 51's area and asked if they could cover for a couple of hours. He had explained to the captains of each of those stations the exact reason why he was requesting this.

Marco started to whip up some soup and sandwiches as they all were feeling the effect of hunger. When Bree joined them, she went and helped Marco with the soup. Soon the two were giggling about something Marco had said to Bree and when Johnny tried to cajole it out of her, she cryptically replied that he would have to wait to find out what they were laughing about.

Just as they were about to eat, the captain, the chief and the two detectives returned to the dayroom. They had come up with part of a plan to hopefully deter whoever this individual was from being able to get too close to cause any real harm. Crockett explained that they didn't have the manpower to put an officer at their station during their shift but that they were adding the station to their patrol assignments on the nights that their shift was on. Also a patrol would be going by each of their homes every night to make sure they and their families were safe.

Both detectives stressed to the firemen and Bree that they needed to be vigilant on checking their vehicles for any tampering before they drive them and that if anything looks out of the ordinary to immediately vacate the vicinity and call the police.

As Detective Crockett was explaining the rest of the plans to them, Bree couldn't help but think if she hadn't returned to California none of this would have happened. Almost as if he knew what Bree was thinking, Johnny squeezed her hand that had crept into his. She looked up and smiled but returned her attention to what the detective was saying.

"Once again I cannot stress this enough, if any of you notice anything out of the ordinary…Do not hesitate to call either me or Detective Davison. Until this individual is caught, you are all in danger," finished Detective Crockett with one final look at Bree as he said that.

"I do have one last question for Miss Montgomery, if she doesn't mind," said Davison. Bree nodded her head indicating he could ask. "Was anything out of the ordinary ever found at the scene of the car accident? Any fingerprints or something like that?"

"No," replied Bree. "Even when they realized that the deaths were by gunshot, the only fingerprints they found inside and on the outside of the vehicle were those of my parents and grandparents. Sorry."

Thanking the captain and his crew members and Bree for their cooperation, the detectives left. Chief McConnike stayed a little while longer to talk with the men of Station 51. Bree thanked him for being understanding of why she knew what the situation with the station detailed and how she was entwined with it.

Johnny walked her out to her car and checked it over before he would let her start it. He then asked her what had made her stop by the station and she told him that she was in the area and decided to stop in before picking up Sierra and heading home. Laughing, he leaned down and kissed her goodbye, telling her he would stop by in the morning after his shift ended.

_He watched her leave the station. He couldn't believe how oblivious she was to her surroundings, so trusting of those around her. He had seen the chief arrive with the two detectives and knew they were trying to figure out what was going on and what it had to do with their station. Chuckling, he knew it would keep them on their toes for a while. Patience had always been a strong suit of his and he knew that by holding back for a little while would allow them to relax and think that maybe he wasn't as serious as they thought._

_He hopped on his bike slowly pedaling away from the station house and towards the vicinity of Torrance where she lived with the child. He wasn't in a hurry to catch up with her as he had other things to do right now but knew that by riding a bike he was pretty nondescript looking. Nobody pays that much attention to someone riding a bike unless they hit you. He had made an appointment to see his doc as he needed some more of his medications and had been told that if he didn't come in he wouldn't get his new prescription or the refills._

She could feel a sneeze coming on and reached up with her hand to rub her nose in hopes of staving off the sneeze. Before her hand even made contact with her nose, she could feel the feather and wondered with her sleep-fogged brain if her pillow had erupted. As she cracked one eye open she was greeted a pair of liquid brown eyes and tousled black hair. She smiled sleepily as he placed a soft kiss upon her lips and then placed their daughter next to her.

"She's been changed, bathed and fed. Now she wants her mommy's attention," stated Johnny. "I'm gonna start some breakfast, so when you are fully awake, come and join me in the kitchen."

Whistling as he walked into the kitchen, Johnny couldn't help but feel good about the situation he was in. He had been contemplating asking Bree to move in with him shortly after he had moved into his ranch house but also knew it was too early in their renewed relationship to consider it. Now here he was living in her house and enjoying every minute of it.

Grabbing a pan from the hanging rack above the island, he set it on the stove, turned on the burner. He took the eggs out of the fridge and began cracking them in a bowl to surprise Bree with an omelet. As he scrambled them, he looked back that the events that prompted him to move in with Bree only a few short weeks after he moved onto his ranch.

Two weeks ago, the guys of Station 51 found out they were being targeted by Bree's stalker. Certain precautions were put into the place to ensure their safety both at work and at home. When the detectives found out just how far into the country Johnny's ranch was, they recommended that he consider moving into town with someone until this individual has been identified and/or caught. Johnny had caught the gleam in Bree's eyes at the mention of that idea and knew exactly what she was going to say to him.

So far he was finding this arrangement to his liking. He found spending more time with his daughter turning into the highlight of his days off and it worked perfectly for Bree as she was still working on a project that she would not tell him about as of yet. Every time he would ask what it was, she would giggle at him, swiftly kiss him on the lips and tell him that he needed to have patience as she danced away from him laughing. Johnny chuckled as everyone who knows him knows how little patience he really has, but for some reason Bree just didn't see it that way.

Checking the temperature of the pan, he slowly poured the eggs into the pan. He reaching around and started the coffee pot, grabbed the juice out of the fridge and set it on the island. Looking at what he had already set out, the only thing left was to finish the omelet and breakfast would be ready.

Bree had spent a few extra minutes lying in bed with Sierra, tickling her tummy and playing with her toes. The child enjoyed the attention and giggled the whole time. Smelling something wonderful wafting through the open bedroom door, she sat up on the edge of the bed and reached for her robe.

"Come on, munchkin, let's go see what your father is up to," she said as she picked her daughter up off the bed.

He heard the door from the bedroom open and turned to smile at his two favorite women in the world. Sierra was all fresh and smiling while her mother was tousled and sleepy looking.

"Breakfast is just about ready, sweetheart, so sit down while I finish it," Johnny told Bree as he flipped the omelet to complete its cooking.

"Smells wonderful," stated Bree as she set Sierra in her high chair. "Has Mandy left already?"

"Yeah, she took off about half an hour ago. She said something about Marco taking her to Catalina today for some "us" time as she called it," replied Johnny as he slid the omelet on to her plate. "You wouldn't know anything about they are up to."

"No. Why would you think I would know what Marco and Mandy are up to in Catalina?" asked Bree in an innocent tone of voice that did not quite reach the not-so-innocent look in her eyes.

He just about laughed at the look she tried to hide. "Because I know you, honey, and the look in your eyes does not match the tone of your voice."

"Well, you are just going to have to wait until tomorrow when we are all at Hank and Emily's to find out just what I know," retorted Bree with a hint of teasing this time.

Having finally made a decision on how they wanted to spend their day, Johnny was loading the picnic basket and blankets into the back of his vehicle. He had already transferred Sierra's car seat to the back of his vehicle and was heading back into the house to see if there was anything else he needed to grab.

As he entered the house, he couldn't help but smile at the picture that greeted him in the living room. Bree had stopped packing Sierra's diaper bag and was on the floor playing with her. He could hear her "blowing raspberries" on their daughter's tummy, accompanied by Sierra's giggles of delight at her mother's play.

Watching their antics, Johnny wondered how he got so lucky in not only having Bree back in his life but to have this darling child a part of it also. Deep in thought as he kept an eye on the two special girls in his life, he never heard them approach him…until he felt his daughter's hand grasp his hair. Untangling her fingers from his hair, he never broke eye contact with Bree and leaned down to softly kiss her parted lips. He heard the gasp escape from her mouth and smiled as she looked up at him.

"Let's go enjoy a day at the beach," said Johnny as he took Sierra from her arms.

Bree reached for the diaper bag and finished putting the items she knew would be needed into it.

By the time Bree reached the car, Johnny had Sierra safely settled into her car seat and was waiting for her to arrive. Tossing the diaper bag on the floor in the back seat, she sat down in the passenger seat and fastened her seat belt.

They pulled out of the driveway and headed towards Santa Monica. Johnny felt it was a wonderful day to spend at the beach, especially the first place they had met. Bree had laughed when he suggested it but upon seeing the childlike pleasure on his face, she had to agree it sounded like fun. In the back of both of their minds was the thought of the person who wanted to cause havoc in their lives. They both hoped the day would be blissfully void of any trouble.

"Nice to see you could join us, Gage," said Captain Stanley as he watched his youngest crew member come to a sliding stop next to his partner. "You know the drill for being late…you have latrine duty."

Johnny heaved a sigh as latrine duty was not one of his favorite things to do but he knew that was going to be the consequence he would pay for being late…if the cap only knew the reason why.

Trying to keep his concentration centered on what Cap was talking about, he couldn't help but go back over what happened yesterday and kept he and Bree from attending the 4th of July celebration at Captain Stanley's home.

_The incessant buzzing (or was it ringing) in his ears was beginning to really irritate him. He felt rather than saw Bree get up. In his sleep-fogged brain it finally registered that her phone had been ringing. Cracking open one eyelid, he checked the clock next to the bed and wondered who the heck was calling at 5 a.m. He could hear Bree in the kitchen talking to someone but not sure who._

"_Johnny?" He could hear her questioning from the doorway and slowly opened his eyes._

"_What's up?" he asked._

"_Someone named Rose is on the phone for you and she sounds pretty upset," replied Bree. "I think you'd better come out here and talk with her."_

_Johnny sat up quickly when he realized the person who called was his aunt whom he knew to be in Europe at the time. Grabbing his jeans, he pulled them on as he hopped out to the kitchen. Bree couldn't hold back the giggles that were escaping her mouth as she watched him enter the living area._

_Taking the phone from Bree's outstretched hand, he spoke into the receiver. "Hi, Aunt Rose. How's your trip?"_

_Judging from the look on Johnny's face, Bree could tell that his aunt was not happy with him. In fact when she had answered the phone, she could tell the woman was not happy at all and immediately demanded to speak to her errant nephew as she put it. Bree quietly began to walk towards the bedroom to give Johnny some privacy to speak with his aunt when she felt him grab her arm and pull her back towards him. He put his arm around her so she could not try and get away._

"_I'm sorry you found out this way, Aunt Rose, but I wasn't sure exactly where in Europe you were. Besides, I didn't want to bother you. You had been waiting to take this trip for ages."_

_She wished she could hear the conversation from Rose's side so she could know exactly what the woman found out that has her so upset with her nephew. While Johnny was listening to what his aunt had to say, he looked down at her and gave her a smile that said 'don't worry'. Easy for him to think that, she thought, he's not the one who feels like she will be on trial when his aunt returns to the states._

"_I understand, Auntie. When you return to California, we will all get together and I will explain everything to you. It's just something I can't get into over the phone," replied Johnny to something she had said to him. "You're already in California…at LAX?"_

_Both he and Bree glanced at each other and Bree knew she was in for it. Johnny told his aunt he would come and pick her up but she said she already had a taxi waiting to pick her up and all she needed was the address for where he was staying at the moment. He quickly gave her Bree's address and said goodbye, hanging up the phone and turning to his girlfriend with a look of total bewilderment upon his face._

Captain Stanley had asked Johnny a question and could tell by the look on his face that the young man was not listening to him at all. Mike and Roy directed their gaze to the ceiling while Marco tried to keep Chet from interfering. Twice Hank asked Johnny the same question before he came to a stop in front of the paramedic. He raised his hands in front of Johnny's face and brought them together in a loud and violent clap that all but sent the young man up the side of the engine he was standing in front of.

"Do you plan on ignoring all of my instructions for the day, Gage?"

"Sorry, Cap. I guess my mind isn't quite with the program. It won't happen again, sir," stated Johnny as he tried to bring his thoughts under control.

Hank repeated his instructions to Johnny as he tried not to laugh at the sheepish look on the young man's face. He dismissed the men to go and complete the chores they had been given. He walked into his office and began some paperwork that he had let himself get behind on.

When the phone rang, Hank jumped and glanced at the clock realizing he had been going through his paperwork for roughly an hour and there had been no runs, which was highly unusual for a 4th of July. He picked up the receiver stating who he was and was surprised to hear Detective Crockett on the line asking if he could stop by to speak with him and the men of Station 51.

As Captain Stanley talked with the detective, Chet was in the dayroom getting ready to rib Johnny about being late this morning and for not showing up at the barbeque on Saturday.

"Couldn't drag yourself away from the girlfriend this morning, Gage?" asked Chet as he watched his pigeon walk into the dayroom.

"Get bent, Kelly," retorted Johnny as he reached for the cupboard door. "You have no clue what I had to deal with this weekend!" He heard the familiar ping as he opened the door and was met with a face full of water.

Turning around, he walked over to where Chet was sitting and promptly shook his wet hair next to him.

"Gross!" exclaimed Chet as he tried to brush the droplets off his hair and face.

"Not as gross as the water you keep hitting me with," stated Johnny as he took a towel from Roy's hand.

Chet couldn't help chuckling right along with the rest. He had to admit to himself that at least Johnny had a sense of humor when it came to the _phantom's_ pranks.

"So what happened to you on Saturday, Gage?" questioned Chet. "You and Marco were the only one who didn't show up. Emily was kind of disappointed. She said something about wanting to ask Bree about the supposed article that she was being interviewed for People."

"Yeah, I'm gonna have to call Emily and apologize for that. My Aunt Rose unexpectedly returned from Europe yesterday and called me at Bree's house demanding to know exactly what I had gotten myself into," stated Johnny. He then turned to Roy and addressed him. "I'm wondering how she found out what has been going on back here in the states and how she got Bree's number."

Roy smiled and replied, "Well I'm guilty on giving her Bree's phone number but I did not tell her anything about what has been happening back here. How she found out is totally beyond me."

"Believe me, when she got to Bree's house, I found out everything," said Johnny as he laughed at the expression on Roy's face.

Johnny went on to tell Roy and the guys that his aunt had been in Ireland when a friend of hers who also happens to work at the LAPD spotted the report regarding Station 51, Bree Montgomery and the possible stalker who was targeting them, calling his aunt to clue her in on the happenings back in LA. His aunt had been trying to reach him and was frantic when she found out his number had been disconnected. He said he was all set to explain things on the phone when his aunt dropped the bombshell that she was at LAX and would be on her way over as soon as he gave her the address to his girlfriend's house.

After the laughter died down, he told them about introducing Bree to his aunt and dropping a bombshell on her by introducing his daughter. He couldn't help but laugh a little more when he told the guys that was the first time he had ever seen his aunt speechless. He said once the shock of the news sunk in then the questioning really began in earnest.

"…so right now Bree and Sierra are spending the day with my aunt at her home in Malibu. I wish I could be a fly on the wall to hear that conversation," he said. "How come you didn't make to Cap's barbeque, Marco?"

The guys weren't surprised to see a big smile across Marco's face but the news he imparted next threw them all for a loop.

"Well, as you all knew, I took Mandy to Catalina Island to get away from all of you for a while…some 'us' time as Mandy likes to call it," said Marco.

"Yeah, we all knew that, Marco," retorted Chet. "But why the big smile today…did she do something to make your weekend out there or what?" He then gave his friend a knowing wink as to implicate something more personal occurred.

"Like Johnny said earlier, get bent, Kelly," replied Marco laughingly. "Yes but it's not what your dirty little mind is thinking, Chet…I asked Mandy to marry me and she said yes."

Before the guys could congratulate Marco on his upcoming nuptials, Hank walked into the dayroom and asked for their attention.

"Boys, I just got off the phone with Detective Crockett and he is on his way over to discuss the ongoing investigation into this stalker case. It doesn't sound like they have found any leads but he wanted to speak with us just the same."

While waiting for the detective to show up, the guys congratulated Marco on his good fortune of finding a wonderful girl to spend the rest of his life with. The discussion went on to include what type of bachelor party they should hold for him. Looking horrified at some of their suggestions for the party, Marco held his hands up pleading for their sympathy for his intended.

Detective Crockett stood outside in the engine bay listening to the easy banter of the men of Station 51. He wished he had some news for these guys but even with the information and items from Johnny Gage's girlfriend they were no closer to finding this guy than before. It was like the stalker was a 'phantom' for real. He could enter and exit just about any place without being noticed. So that told them he could blend in practically anywhere without looking out of place. This individual also seemed to know enough about criminology that nothing was ever left behind, no fingerprint, hair, nothing.

He took a deep breath and entered the dayroom. Captain Stanley offered his hand to the detective who shook it and sat down in the chair offered to him. He took the cup of coffee placed in front of him. He looked at the faces of these men and wished once again he had something to report to them.

"Well, I wish I was here to give you news that we have some idea of who this person is, but no such luck. Whoever this individual is, he knows how to cover his tracks," he stated to the men.

"What about the stuff that Bree gave you? The stuff left at her concerts?" asked Johnny.

"They turned up nothing. We went over each and every one of the items, no fingerprints other than Bree's which we ruled out. The cards she kept that came with the flowers, we called the shops and were told that cash was paid and they never saw the person who ordered them. It seems that a child would come in shortly after the phone call was made and give them the money," replied Detective Crockett. "We are just as baffled as you all are."

"Then what did you come to talk to us about?" asked Roy.

"Well, it's been almost three weeks and so far we haven't seen any unusual activity around the station or your homes," he said. Noting the looks on their faces, he quickly continued. "We aren't completely pulling the patrols from the station or your homes but we are scaling back a bit. The department can't see keeping this up if there is nothing going on."

Roy spoke up a little more forcefully than he planned but he was worried. "Okay, but what happens if this is what he is waiting for, for the patrols to die down? I have two young children and a wife…so does the captain. Marco here just got engaged and Johnny has a baby. No offense, detective, but I would really like a guarantee that my family is going to be safe."

Crockett knew that they would feel this way and he didn't blame them in the least. To know that someone had it out for you even if it was only by association didn't make it any better. He didn't really have any satisfactory answer to Roy's question nor did he have any idea of what could be done to give them the peace of mind that they all needed.

"I really wish I had the answers you crave but the reality is…this individual has all of us stumped. We have no clue how to find him, nobody who has actually seen him." He turned to Johnny and said, "I can see why your girlfriend was upset with this. He really is a phantom."

As he got ready to leave, he looked at each and every one of them and said, "All I can say is keep an eye on your surroundings. Check things over before you leave in your car. Make sure your doors are locked. If need be, add deadbolts to your doors. Whoever this person is, he is an expert in breaking and entering."

The guys sat in silence after Crockett left, not knowing exactly what to say or do. When the tones sounded to send them out on a run, they all jumped out of their skin before they ran for the squad and engine.

For the next four and a half hours, Johnny felt like he had been run through a wringer. No sooner would they get back to the station and back out they would all go. The last one did give them all a giggle though. When it had been called in, their thoughts had been for a very serious injury as the caller kept claiming that the victim was really burned. Arriving at the location of the injury, Johnny had a hard time keeping his mirth under control as the victim was "burned" in the sense he was a little ticked off at his kids for throwing the firecracker duds in the fire pit, and then having them blow up as he was standing next to the pit causing minor burns to his legs.

The man signed the AMA waiver stating he would see his family physician should the burns begin to cause any problems. His parting remark to the paramedics was that they might want to stick around and dress the wounds of his kids if they do it again.

Roy and Johnny were still laughing when they stopped by Rampart to stock up on some supplies. While Carol went to gather their supplies, Roy turned to his partner and asked him what he thought about the information Detective Crockett gave them earlier today.

"Personally, Roy, I think they have a right to scale back on the patrols." Johnny stated. "I mean nothing has happened in the last three weeks and why keep exerting the manpower on us if he doesn't reappear."

"True, but what if this is just what the stalker is waiting for…for us to let down our guard so he can strike again but only this time worse than before."

Johnny could tell his partner was really worried about this. He couldn't blame him and the more he thought about it, the more he wondered if any of them would be safe until this 'phantom' was caught. The partners stopped their discussion as Carol had returned with their supplies.

Thanking her for their supplies, the two headed back out to the squad. Roy placed the box of supplies on the top of the storage compartments of the squad glancing across the back of the squad at Johnny.

"It's kind of funny how I'm the one obsessing about this and you…well for once you are the calm one. I know I sound like a broken record and I know so far I have managed to stay out of his range, but I'm worried about my family. What if he targets them instead of me?"

Johnny chuckled when Roy pointed out how their roles were reversed for once. "Roy, we just need to do what the detective told us…stay alert and keep an eye on where we are at, change our locks or add deadbolts," replied Johnny. "We have to take control of our lives and not live in a constant state of fear or we will be right where he wants us…frozen."

"Get in the squad, Junior. It freaks me out when you are too logical."

Roy put the squad in gear and headed back to the station. Both he and Johnny kept their thoughts to themselves but knew that the other was just as worried.

"You know, Roy, I've been thinking of moving back out to the ranch," said Johnny.

"Why?" he asked his partner, surprised that he was considering it. "Aren't you afraid Bree's stalker might take advantage of the solitude out there to come after you or are you just tired of living with Bree and Sierra?"

"Perish _that_ thought. I'll never tire of those two girls of mine," replied Johnny. "No, I've been thinking it's time to get back to the ranch. Besides I'm not going to let him take over my life or Bree's."

"So have you told Bree what you are planning to do, Junior? You know she's not gonna like you leaving. From what Joanne has told me that Bree really enjoys having you at her place."

"I don't think I'm gonna have to worry about her reaction as I plan on asking her to move out to the ranch with me," replied Johnny as he glanced sideways at his friend to catch his reaction.

Roy didn't spoil it for him. The look on his face said it all. Johnny caught Roy off guard once again. First, Marco announces he is getting married and now Johnny is talking about having his girlfriend and their child move in with him. What's next Roy thought as he backed the squad into the station.

"Seriously?" she squealed. He barely had time to put his arms around her as she lunged at him sending them both backwards onto the couch.

"You know that's the second time you've managed to put me on my back," chuckled Johnny as he kissed her on the end of her nose. "Of course, I'm serious. These few weeks that I've been here have made me realize I'd rather you were living with me at the ranch instead of here alone."

"I'm not alone when I am here," replied Bree as she sat up. "Mandy is here…for most part."

"Yeah, but now that she and Marco are engaged…for which I am sure you had a part in," stated Johnny as he watched the expression on Bree's face try to change from pleased to completely innocent which she was failing miserably at. "Don't try and give me that innocent look, girl. I'm the one who perfected that look a long time ago."

The two started laughing as they exchanged playful insults. Bree couldn't believe it when Johnny walked in the door and announced that he was moving back to the ranch. Her heart sunk at the thought of him leaving but then he dropped the bomb…when he told her to start packing because she was going with him.

"Now why would I want to try to pull the wool over your eyes, dear?" questioned Bree. "You always see right through me. The only thing I knew about was Marco's intention to propose. I had no clue where or when, didn't want to as I wanted to be as surprised as the rest."

He hugged Bree tighter as he was very pleased that she wanted to move in with him. "One thing about moving out to the ranch…please be aware of your surroundings. They still don't know who this person is and I don't want anything happening to you or Sierra."

"I'm aware of my surroundings," stated Bree, feeling a little bit put off when he reminded her to pay attention. "Or at least most of the time of the time I am."

"I know but I just want to you and Sierra to be safe. I don't want to get a phone call stating that you've been taking the hospital or worse," he said as he shuddered at the thought of that ever happening. He reached over and pulled her close to him.

Johnny discussed with Bree what his plans were for the next couple of weeks before she and Sierra moved out to the ranch. As much as he wanted her to move out with him immediately, he felt he needed to make a few changes to some of the rooms before they joined him. He explained to Bree some of the changes that he wanted to make to Sierra's room and some safety precautions he wanted to put into place now before she really started walking.

She listened to Johnny and chuckled to herself as it was like listening to an excited teenager going on about his upcoming plans. She could feel the contractions of her heart while she listened to his plans and it almost hurt as all her feelings for him seemed to surge as one to the surface. Johnny stopped in mid-sentence as he could see the emotions being expressed in her eyes. He pulled her back into his embrace and asked her if she felt he was moving too fast with his plans.

Glancing up at him, she shook her head no and told him that she was just feeling extremely emotional over the whole situation and that she couldn't express it in words at the moment. He knew exactly how she was feeling. Knowing her independent and stubborn streak, he wasn't sure if she would be up to moving to the ranch. When she said yes, his heart leapt into his throat and he almost found it hard to speak.

"Do you like some of my ideas?" he asked after a few minutes of silence.

"Yes, I do," she replied. "Especially the ones for when Sierra starts walking and can reach doorknobs and drawer pulls. I would hate for her to get out of the house and be roaming around the ranch unobserved."

"I guess my next question is…what do you want to take from your house to the ranch?"

Bree glanced around the living room and stated, "I really haven't thought about that. I know I want my bedroom set as it is a bigger bed than yours, also Sierra's dresser and toys, of course. Other than that, I think we need to inventory our items to see what will fit and what can be left behind."

"What about your piano?" Johnny asked her. "I'm pretty sure you are going to want that as it is part of your livelihood."

"Definitely. I have so many melodies running through my mind that I really need to start putting them down before I lose them."

"Come on then. I'd better gather all my stuff and get heading home so I can start whipping the place into shape for my girls," said Johnny.

It only took them half an hour to gather all of Johnny's belongings. Both kept putting off the inevitable…Johnny leaving for the ranch. Bree finally told him that she wasn't going to walk outside with him because even though she knew she would be joining him in a few weeks, it just seemed like he was leaving for good. Johnny started to chuckle when she voiced that until he saw the tears in her eyes…she wasn't kidding.

He took Sierra from her arms and hugged his little girl tight. With his other arm, he pulled Bree into the embrace and kissed her first on the head and then on the lips. One tear slipped down her cheek. He wiped it away with his thumb, telling her it wouldn't be that long before she and their daughter would be joining him at the ranch. As he handed Sierra back to her mother, he kissed both once again with a promise of seeing them soon.

Bree watched Johnny as he walked through the front door, shutting it softly behind. She couldn't understand why she was feeling so emotional today as she knew in a few weeks what would occur.

_He smiled as he watched 'fire boy' load his belongings into his vehicle. It had upset him when he watched him move in with her but knew there was nothing he could do to stop it. But as he watched him leave, it pleased him to see that she wasn't going with him. That had been his biggest fear…that she would move to the ranch._

_Originally he had thought about stalking 'fire boy' at his ranch but thought better of it as she is usually out there. He didn't want to harm her, only him. He knew the time had come to renew his crusade against him. During the time that he scaled back his pursuit of 'fire boy' and his friends to avoid being caught, he had been planning just how he was going to bring an end to his rival for her affections._

_Following the trail back to his car, he thought about the time-table he had set up for his objective. When he first discovered she had returned to California this past spring, his first thought was to run up and grab her but he knew that would only freak her out. He decided he needed to see just what she was doing back before he made his presence known. For four months he watched. As the planned formed in his mind, his actions began. He knew it was getting close to the time when he made the move to take her away from his rival and show her how good her life will be with him._

_Putting the car in drive, he pulled out of the parking lot and headed home. The next stage in his plan will need to be carefully set up in order for it to work. One last look in the direction of her home, he silently said a prayer and blew a kiss towards her home._

Bree smiled as she pulled into the driveway of the ranch. Pulling up beside the barn, she got out of the car and headed towards the corral where she saw the ranch owner standing. She put her foot on the lower bar of the corral fence and hoisted herself up to sit on the top.

"How's things going, Mr. McNamara?" she asked the man standing by the fence.

"Really well, Miss Montgomery," was his reply. "But how many times do I have to tell you to call me Harry."

"About as many times as I have to ask you to call me Bree," she retorted with a giggle as she slid closer to him reaching an arm around to hug him.

"Everything is on track for August, Bree. There should be no problem with delivery in the afternoon."

"That's perfect. The party is set to start at 1 p.m. and there will be plenty of help," stated Bree. "I can't wait to see his face when you arrive with his present."

Bree jumped down off the fence and followed Harry into the barn. He took her over to a stall and showed her a mare with her newborn foal. She smiled as she checked out mother and baby. Harry then led her to another stall at the opposite end of the long barn. Inside the stall was a beautiful paint. He tossed his head as if to say to Bree 'Check me out.' She laughed at the look the horse gave her.

Harry walked Bree back to her car and after giving her a hug told her that he would see her in six weeks. With a quick wave to Harry, she headed back down the driveway and towards what would soon be her new home…a ranch only ten miles away from the McNamara ranch.

Johnny paced the floor with his squalling daughter in his arms. Nothing he did was making the child happy. He hoped that Bree would get home from her 'slight errand' soon as their daughter woke up about fifteen minutes after her mother left. He changed her and got her a bottle but she just didn't want to settle down. He also wanted to show her what came by delivery shortly after she left.

While rocking his daughter back and forth as he balanced her on his hip, he had slit open the top of the package and shook out the People magazine. He knew Bree would be a little upset with him for opening her package but once he saw the People logo, he just had to see the article. Quickly flipping the pages, it didn't take him long to find the article she was being featured in.

"Come on, little one," he softly whispered to his child. "I've changed you, fed you, burped you and short of being puked all over, I think you should be happy." Keeping his finger on the page he wanted to read, he crossed the short distance to the rocking chair and sat down. Cradling Sierra in the crook of his arm, he flipped the magazine so he could read the article.

"Ooooo…" was the sound he heard from his daughter. He looked down to see the child staring intently at the bright picture on the magazine.

"That's your mommy," Johnny said as he pointed to the picture of Bree. "She was interviewed by someone for a magazine who wanted to know why she left the music business. It was actually your mommy's idea to do the article because someone decided to make it their business to find out if she was still around or not."

Johnny felt his daughter relax in his arms and decided to read the article to her out loud as if he was reading her a bedtime story. So deeply engrossed in the article he had become that he failed to realize his daughter had fallen asleep in his arms and the woman the article featured was standing in the doorway listening to him read out loud.

Bree had pulled into the driveway feeling pleased that her birthday present for Johnny was coming along and would be ready in time for the party. She reached into the backseat and grabbed the few groceries she had picked up while she was in town at work. Things had calmed down a bit at Rampart since the press was told they could not loiter on the hospital grounds and that they could be sued if they did.

Chuckling to herself, she walked into the house and found the two most important people in her life rocking in the living room, one fast asleep in her father's arms and the other reading out loud from what she gather was the magazine article that had been printed in People and was now finally on newsstands. She realized she couldn't be mad at Johnny for opening the package as if the roles were reversed and it was he the article had been written about, she would have done the same thing.

Bree quietly walked into the kitchen and tried to put the groceries away with the least amount of noise which she obviously failed at when Johnny's head popped up from the magazine and smiled at her when his gaze caught her at the counter in the kitchen.

"You didn't need to be so quiet," he said as he stood up. "I'll be right back."

She quickly finished putting the groceries away, grabbing a glass of water before she sat down. Snagging the magazine, she plopped down on the couch, folding her legs beneath her and began to read. Like Johnny, she became so engrossed in the article that she didn't see him return from putting Sierra down for her nap until he dropped down on the couch next to her. She jumped when she felt the movement of the couch. She playfully slapped him with the magazine as he laughed at the expression on her face.

"Nice article," stated Johnny. "I didn't know you were coming out here to take pictures."

Bree chuckled. "They wanted to do it around my pool and backyard but that just isn't me. I like being outdoors but not necessarily just sitting around the pool drinking Mai Tai's. That's when Dustin suggested the countryside and I immediately thought of this place. I hope you don't mind that we did that…I never thought to call you to ask permission."

"The way I see it, shortly this place will be your home as much as it's mine...so no I don't mind. By the way, when will you be moving out here permanently?"

"I just have a few details with my house to take care of and then I will be good to go…or in this case move the rest of my belongings out here," she replied. "It's been a little hard taking care of the deed to the house without letting the soon-to-be new owners in on what I am doing."

Johnny laughed as he knew exactly what she was up to. Once he asked Bree to move out to the ranch, she became a whirlwind of activity. At first he had assumed she would just put her house up for sale, but when he questioned her about it she laughed and said she had another idea in mind. She said she needed to speak with her realtor and bank before she would clue him in on her plan for her house.

Two weeks after he had asked her about her plans, Bree let Johnny in on what she wanted to do with her house. She told him that she decided to give the deed to her house to Mandy and Marco as a wedding present. She had thought about waiting until the wedding to present them with the deed but knew it wasn't going to work.

"So when do you plan on clueing the lovebirds in on what you are going to do with your house?"

Bree turned and smiled at Johnny. "The day I move out. I figured since they said they would help with the move, I would have them give me a ride out here and tell them we need to stop by the bank as I have some papers they want me to sign."

"Clever girl," chuckled Johnny as he reached to pull her towards him. He could hear her sigh as she relaxed against him. "My next question is when do you have to leave?"

"In about an hour," was her reply. "I want Sierra to sleep a bit so she is not so wired for Mandy tonight."

The couple talked for a bit more, lapsing into comfortable silence as they just enjoyed spending the quiet time together. Eventually time caught up with them and Bree had to leave as she was singing that night with the band in Long Beach. Johnny quietly picked his daughter up and took her to the car, getting her settled in her car seat. She didn't even wake up. Bree rolled down the window of the driver's side, letting Johnny lean in to give a long, thorough kiss goodbye as he whispered for her to behave tonight. She giggled as she backed out of the driveway. Walking back into the house, he quietly thought to himself that he couldn't wait for them to be in the house as it was way too quiet for him once they left.

The article in People magazine caused quite a stir around Rampart General Hospital. Dixie was impressed with it. She had been present when Bree talked with the young man representing the magazine in the staff lounge and began to see Bree in a new light as the young woman went over what he could and could not ask questions about for the article. Bree had outlined a plan for a two-part article with part one skimming over her history that led to her singing career and part two shedding light on her disappearance and reappearance. Once the outline had been given to the reporter, he had told Bree he would contact her and let her know if his editors approved the story or not.

She heard the door to the lounge open up but didn't look up to see who joined her in the lounge. Out of the corner of her eye she caught movement of the chair near her and was surprised when she saw Bree had joined her at the table.

"So I see you got a hold of the People magazine with the article of me in it?" she questioned.

Dixie smiled at the younger woman and replied, "Actually I picked it up at the store near my apartment after Johnny told me yesterday that you were in this edition. It's actually a very nicely written article. When does the next installment come out?"

"In two weeks. That was one of the stipulations I asked for when Dustin's editor agreed to the article that Dustin and I had in mind. That way it gives the public time to rake it over in discussion and makes them want to know the rest of the story," stated Bree. "So who else in the hospital has seen it?"

"Girl, it's more like who hasn't seen it," laughed Dixie at the grimace that flittered across Bree's face. "Did you expect anything else? You are pretty much a celebrity in this facility…to most of us anyway." She took a sip of her coffee and then asked, "So when did you return to work? I haven't seen much of you around here."

"I came back the week after the 4th but Jack's been keeping me busy with some pediatric cases so I have literally turned into a 'lab rat' so to speak. After this week, I'm supposed to be back on rotation with the ER so you will be seeing more of me."

"That's good. As much as I get along with Mandy, I miss seeing your smiling face and I know Johnny would prefer it was you that came up to the ER instead also." She chuckled when she saw the blush creep up Bree's face.

The two discussed more about the article in the magazine and laughed as Bree gave Dixie more in-depth details about some of the stories she had told Dustin from People. Dixie asked Bree when she was going to move out to Johnny's for good and Bree smiled when she let her friend know it would be the first weekend in August. Telling Bree that she and Joe would be coming to help with the move, she couldn't help smiling when the young woman told her that she didn't have to as she had a moving company coming to take what would be needed at the ranch.

Looking at her watch, Bree quickly downed what was left of her coffee and told Dixie she would talk with her later, practically running out the door. Dixie got up, rinsed out her cup and turned to leave. She completely forgot about the magazine she had brought in with her. Traci all but ran over the head nurse as she came barreling through the door. With a barely heard apology, Dixie shook her head and left.

Sheila had waited until Dixie vacated the doorway before she entered. She looked at her friend and wondered what had her in such a state.

"What's put you in such a twist?" asked Sheila as she sat down opposite of Traci.

"That blonde bimbo in the lab, that's who!" exclaimed Traci. "I just wish he would get tired of her so I could have a chance with him."

"Give it up, Traci. He loves her…practically everyone but you can see that," stated Sheila. "Besides they have a child together. He will not leave either one of them just because you have an itch that can't be scratched."

Traci looked at her 'friend' and retorted, "Shut up, Sheila. What do you know? That fireman from the same firehouse hasn't asked you out again."

Sheila looked down at her coffee, knowing exactly why he hadn't asked her out again. The last time she saw him, he pretty much let her know how disappointed he was that she had been on the information leak on his friend's girlfriend. She had apologized for her actions and was still hoping he would call her again sometime.

While Sheila was deep in her own thoughts, Traci had spotted the magazine that Dixie had left behind. She picked it up and thumbed through it and was stunned when she came upon the article about Bree. As she quickly skimmed through the article, she could feel her ire rising at the upstart 'lab rat' as she thought of her. She threw the magazine at Sheila and quickly exited the room. Sheila picked up the magazine as she watched Traci leave the lounge. Upon seeing the article, she knew why the woman had left in a snit and thought that maybe it was time to sever ties with her high school friend. She placed the magazine back on the table and left, wondering if it was too late to apologize to Bree for her part in the fiasco a few weeks back.

_He was stunned as the moving van backed into her driveway. He watched in disbelief as the moving men got out and grabbed the equipment they would need to move furniture, etc. As they brought the frame for her four-poster bed out of the house, he could feel his anger simmering slowly below the surface. He knew exactly where she was relocating to…his house in the country. 'How could she be so stupid?' he thought to himself. Deep down he knew 'fire boy' couldn't give her what she needed, only he could do that._

_He threw the magazine he had been reading onto the seat beside him. The reporter for that new magazine, People, did a good job on showing her life before she became famous, but he didn't even touch on the ones that mattered the most to her…the fans. He figured that maybe the reporter was saving that for the next part of the article. At least he did a better job of showing who she really was, not like that LA Times reporter who was just in it for the story and notoriety it would bring her._

_Returning his gaze to the movers, he could see box after box being loaded onto the truck. In less than an hour, they had the van loaded and were ready to go. He watched as she talked with them, her hands fluttering in the air around her as she was making a point. He noticed a brunette and some guy, one that worked with 'fire boy' standing with her. The three seemed to be discussing something that had the brunette rolling her eyes. As he watched them get in the guy's truck and drive off, he decided the time was right for the next step in his plan to remove her from the influence of 'fire boy' and his friends._

"Come on, Roy. You need to get up for work," said Joanne as she tried to wake her husband.

Rubbing his eyes, he slowly sat up and looked over at Jo. "Wha…What's up?" he stammered.

"Not you for one thing," she replied as she threw back the covers, grabbed her robe and flipped on the bedroom light. "Get up, sleepyhead. It's time to get ready for work. That is the last time I allow you and Johnny to go to a nighttime ballgame if you are going to be this hard to wake up in the morning."

Joanne left the room to get breakfast ready for her husband. As she started the coffee, she heard the shower start in the bathroom and knew she didn't have to try and wake him up again. While the coffee brewed, she headed down the hall and opened the doors to the kids' bedrooms. She wanted them to wake up naturally so they wouldn't be so crabby when they head to San Pedro for the weekend. They were going to visit her sister and spend the weekend at the beach.

Shutting off the shower, Roy grabbed the towel and began to dry his hair. He had to agree with his wife that these nighttime games before work weren't the best. It was after midnight when they finally got home and he knew it would be a long day with Johnny as when he doesn't get at least eight hours, he could be cranky. As he wrapped the towel around his waist and stepped out of the shower, he noticed Joanne had left him a cup of coffee on the counter. Just taking a deep whiff of the scent wafting from the cup seemed to energize him a bit.

She could hear the kids rustling around in their rooms and knew it was only a matter of time before they would be racing down the hallway for breakfast. They liked to be up to say goodbye to their dad before he left for work. Today it was also a bonus for her as they were going to be taking off shortly (or as soon as possible) to her sister's place.

"Roy, kids, breakfast is ready," shouted Joanne towards the hallway as she placed their breakfast upon the table.

She squealed in surprise as she felt her husband reached around her waist and nuzzled her ear. "Smells good. What's the occasion, sweetheart?" he asked as he noticed the pancakes and sausage on the table.

"I just felt a good old breakfast was in order for the day. Besides, it will probably be the only good breakfast you will have while the kids and I are gone," replied Joanne.

Both parents turned their heads as they heard the kids slam their bedroom doors and were racing each other down the hallway. Chris came to a sliding stop in the kitchen and grinned when he saw what mom had made for breakfast.

"Cool…pancakes!" he exclaimed as he sat down and grabbed a couple of the cakes with his fork. "Thanks, Mom."

"Don't be so greedy, Chris," stated Roy as he sat down and lifted his daughter onto his lap. "Want some pancakes, kiddo?"

"Yes, daddy," replied Jennifer as she snuggled closely in his embrace. "With lots of syrup on 'em."

He looked up at his wife who was slowly shaking her head at him, letting him know not to put a lot of syrup on their daughter's pancakes. Roy set Jennifer in her seat and followed her instructions for two pancakes with butter and lots of syrup (which he made look like lots as he drizzled it all over).

After everyone had filled their plates, Joanne sat down and joined them. The family talked about their plans for the weekend. Roy was heading out to Johnny's on Saturday to help him with fencing around the corral. Chris and Jennifer talked over the top of each other trying to tell their father what all was planned for their weekend including a day at the beach and maybe even a trip to San Diego to go to the zoo.

"Do you kids have everything packed for our trip?" Joanne asked them.

"Yes, mom," was the dual reply from the kids.

Joanne laughed as she had already packed their clothes the night before. She had told them after she had their clothes packed to pick out a few items to take with them to play with at their aunt's home. Jennifer was torn between taking her favorite doll and her first Barbie doll that her 'uncle' Johnny had bought for her for her birthday and Chris had tried to stuff all of his GI Joe action figures and their equipment in his book bag from school. When he saw the problem his sister was having, he gave her his old book bag to use so she could take them both.

Roy put his plate in the sink and gave his wife a kiss on the cheek. Grabbing his gear from the couch, he waited at the front door for the kids. He could hear Joanne telling them to put their plates in the sink and to hurry up as their dad needed to get to work.

"Bye, daddy," said Jennifer as her father swung her up in a big hug. "Say hi to Uncle Johnny. Tell him I like my Barbie really well."

Chris hugged his dad too. "Hope you have a good day today, dad."

"You be safe for me," softly whispered Joanne as she kissed her husband soundly on the lips before she sent him on his way.

As he backed out of the driveway, he waved at his family standing in the doorway. He smiled to himself as he felt it was going to be a really good day. Joanne turned and shooed the kids back inside to make their beds and bring their suitcases to the living room. She headed back into the kitchen to finish up the dishes and clean the table.

_He watched as the blond-haired man pulled away from the house. The nice thing about a straight street is that you could park far enough away from the house you were keeping an eye on and no one was the wiser. He wasn't sure how much longer he would have to wait for the woman and kids to leave their house, but he knew that no woman could stay home all day long…eventually they would leave either to shop for groceries or clothes. Patiently he sat back in his seat and waited for her to make an appearance._

_Half an hour later, his patience paid off. She backed her station wagon out of the garage, shut the door and backed out onto the street. He sat up and waited until she was heading down the street before he began to follow her. He was glad for his photographic memory as he remembered her make and model of vehicle along with the license plate number. He had studied her habits and knew she didn't care for the highway when she had the kids with her. He chuckled as she reminded him of his Bree as she was just as oblivious to her surroundings as Bree could be._

_Keeping a good distance behind the woman and her kids but close enough to know when to turn, he smiled as she turned down a road that wound through the Rolling Hills area…not her usual route but it would easy enough for him to do what he had planned. Shortly they were entering an area with not a lot of traffic on it. He slowly began to catch up to the station wagon and knew that when they approached the next curve, he would make his move._

"Chris, please quit torturing your sister. I really don't have time to pull over and separate you two," exclaimed Joanne with an exasperating tone of voice. "You are supposed to be helpful on this trip, not make it miserable."

He heard the frustrating in his mom's voice and replied, "I'm sorry, mom. I'll try and be nicer to Jenny." And to prove that he was going to try to do better, he challenged Jennifer to a game of street sign bingo, helping her find all the signs he could find.

Smiling at her son as she glanced at him in the rearview mirror, she noticed a car rapidly gaining on her. She couldn't help but wonder what their hurry was. She thought it was a beautiful day and decided to take a different route on the way to her sister's that would take them through the George F. Canyon Preserve and Nature Center. It might be a little longer route to get to her sister's home but the kids would enjoy it as well as herself. Knowing that the road narrowed up ahead and had many curves, Joanne hoped that this car would get around them and leave her in peace. Once more she checked on the car behind her and realized the vehicle had gotten closer but not close enough to get around her before they reached the curves.

With a silent prayer, she slowed down to make the curve not realizing that the car behind her was making his move. As she entered into the first part of the elongated S curve, she heard Chris shout something about the car trying to go around them. Joanne caught a glimpse of the car in her side mirror and was shocked to see that whoever was driving it really thought they could make it around them.

Suddenly she felt the other vehicle rub against the side of her station wagon. Before she had a chance to try and correct the direction of her own vehicle, she felt the car slam into her again sending her off the second part of the curve and right into the trees. The last thought Joanne had was of her kids in the backseat and of her husband at work before everything went black.


	4. Chapter 4

_After he had brushed the car enough to make the woman lose control, he pulled over at the end of the curve. He watched through the rearview mirror as the car ran down the ditch and into the trees. He giggled to himself as he saw the impact and knew that the occupants of the car would be alright, a bit bruised and sore, but alive. It hadn't been too hard to tell that as soon as she had seen him beginning to pass her, she began to slow down. That had made it so much easier to take her by surprise when he tapped her driver's side the first time._

_He put the car into drive and took off. He didn't want to be seen by anyone and then have to make it look good by playing the Good Samaritan. He couldn't stop chuckling as he thought about how they would find out it just who orchestrated this accident._

_Stopping at a pay phone in a rest area parking lot, he placed an anonymous call to 9-1-1, telling the dispatcher that he thought he had seen a car go off the road somewhere near the George Canyon Nature Preserve. Once the dispatcher got the information from him, he hung up and headed on his merry way, taking the long way back to Carson._

She could hear the sirens in the background but couldn't understand what the ruckus was all about. Somewhere near her a child was sniffling and/or moaning with another one crying for 'mommy'. She knew she should go and check to see if she could help but just wanted to sleep a bit longer. At one point she thought she heard someone moan near her but figured it was just part of her dream. It never occurred to her that she was the one moaning.

She never felt the hands that gently lifted her out of the vehicle to place her on the ground. She lapsed back into the darkness that seemed so safe to her. The paramedics who were called to the accident knew their captain had a hard call to make as the woman they had pulled out of the car unconscious was the wife of a fellow firefighter.

The captain had taken charge of the two children who were very frightened as they hadn't been able to wake up their mother. The boy was discovered to have a fractured arm and the paramedics immediately immobilized his arm. Luckily, the girl only suffered a few bruises and cuts from flying glass. Once they had finished with the boy, the captain had taken them to the engine and placed them both on the jump seat to keep them calm so the paramedics could work on the woman.

He knew this wasn't going to be easy to call Hank Stanley at Station 51 to let him know that one of his own had a family injured in an accident. It amazed him how well the men of that station worked more closely together than any other station in the LACoFD district. It was like watching a well-oiled machine, not to say that other stations didn't have the same bonds, but Station 51 was _unique_.

The guys were relaxing comfortably in the dayroom. Marco had surprised them once again with his mother's cinnamon rolls for a mid-morning snack. Their duties were half done when the Cap told them to come inside and enjoy their treat while it was still warm. So far they had been having an easy morning with the sun shining and the heat index not so high.

"Marco, those rolls are wonderful," said Chet as he stretched his arms out in front of him. "But we are all going to look like the Pillsbury doughboy if your mom keeps feeding us treats like that."

Everyone chuckled at the suggestion as they were all thinking the same thing but Chet beat them all to it.

"I don't think that will happen, Chet," stated Captain Stanley. "With all the scrubbing you do while on latrine duty, you will work it off."

That comment set them all off all over again. Johnny started coughing as he managed to swallow some milk down the wrong 'pipe' while laughing. Roy smacked him on the back one time which earned him a dirty look from Johnny. He raised his hands in surrender to Johnny's look and told him to choke on his own time.

"When you get done coughing up a lung, Johnny, I'll be in the squad," stated Roy as he headed out to the engine bay.

"Be…(cough)…out there in…(cough)…a minute," rasped Johnny as he tried to get his wayward lungs back in control.

Grabbing his plate and glass, he placed them in the sink and ran to catch up with his partner. Part of their duties for the day was to check the fire hydrants in their area. They were to keep their radio on a set channel so they would know when they were called out on a run.

Roy wondered if Johnny was feeling as tired as he was. His usually bouncy partner was actually sitting still for once and was quiet. Glancing sideways over at Johnny, it almost looked like his partner was sleeping. He remembered Joanne's parting remark as he was leaving for work that she was not going to allow him and Johnny to partake in anymore nighttime ballgames.

"Wake up, Junior," shouted Roy, laughing when Johnny jumped.

"What the heck was that all about?" asked Johnny quite grumpily.

"Hey, you were snoozing. If I can't sleep, neither can you," replied Roy. "Besides, Joanne said she's not gonna let me go to anymore nighttime ballgames with you because I'm too hard to wake up the next morning."

Johnny looked at his partner in disbelief which set Roy laughing all over again. He pulled alongside one of many fire hydrants they needed to check and put the squad in park. Johnny was still sputtering when he got out and grabbed the tool they needed to open and check the hydrant.

"She's not gonna let you go to game with me again?" he asked with a childlike frown on his face.

"Just not to nighttime games when we have to work the next morning," stated Roy. "She was giving me grief because I didn't want to get up when the alarm went off."

"Neither did I. Bree all but had to shove me out of the bed to get me moving," chuckled Johnny. "She pretty much said the same thing as Joanne."

Finishing with the check of the hydrant, the guys jumped in the squad and headed for the next one. They could hear Squad 10 being sent on an unknown type of injury call in Squad 36's district as they were still out on their MVA call. So far Squad 51's morning had consisted of a woman with her hand stuck in the lint trap of her dryer and a child stuck up in a tree. The last call for the child still had them chuckling as the mother had no idea how her little one could get up that high in such a short time. Johnny told Roy he didn't have the heart to tell the mother that he would have scaled the tree in no time flat if his mother had wanted to put him in a sailor suit for a picture.

Bree hurried through the hallways of Rampart General hoping to arrive at the lab before her supervisor realized she was late again. After she dropped Sierra off at the daycare located inside Rampart, she got waylaid by a well-meaning nurse who was also a fan of Bree Montgomery. She just couldn't be rude, even if it meant being a little late. Thank goodness Jack knew she always made up the time, whether she cut her lunch short or stayed late.

Madhouse…that was the only word she could use to describe the ER when she entered it by the admission desk. There were three cheerleaders sitting in chairs with various bruises and/or injuries. Next to them was a football player in full uniform holding his helmet on his lap and his head in his hands; beside him was what looked like the coach with a bloodied lip and nose.

She skirted around the crowd and headed towards the base station to see if she could help with anything.

Dixie looked up and saw Bree approaching the station. "Thank god you are here. We could sure use an extra set of hands."

"What the heck happened in here, Dix?" questioned Bree as she motioned towards the admission waiting room.

"Bus crash," replied Dixie. "Nothing too serious…mostly bruises and bloodied noses with a few minor concussions for the ones who were standing up when the crash occurred."

"What do you need me to do?"

Dixie took Bree and led her towards Treatment Room 3. "In about two minutes, Squad 36 is bringing in three accident victims from a crash that happened near the Canyon Nature Center. One victim is unconscious, one has a broken arm and the third victim is a small child, no injuries but very scared. I need you to help with the child."

"I'll do my best but you and I both know with a scared child, they don't always take to strangers."

"This one will, Bree," stated Dixie. "It's Jennifer DeSoto. It's Roy's family who were in the crash near the nature center."

Bree looked at Dixie with horror in her eyes. "How bad?"

"Joanne was unconscious when the paramedics arrived but has been showing signs of coming around. Chris has a broken arm but we are unsure of the type of break. Jennifer's car seat luckily saved her from injury but she is pretty shook up about the whole deal."

"Has anyone gotten a hold of Roy?" she asked Dixie as she tried to figure out what would had caused the accident as she knew Joanne was a very cautious driver when she had her children with her.

"Station 36's captain made a call to Captain Stanley to inform him," Dixie said as she kept her eye on the ER doors. "Here's the ambulance. Let's go."

Bree and Dixie, joined by Dr. Early, ran out to meet the ambulance. Danny from Squad 36 flung the ambulance doors open and handed Chris to Dixie who took him into the ER. He kept a running conversation with Dr. Early as they headed for Treatment Room 3, letting him know that her vitals were staying stable and she had opened her eyes at least once.

She heard Jennifer before she saw her. "Auntie Bree!" Turning towards the front of the ambulance, she saw the 4-year-old running towards her after the ambulance attendant lowered her to the ground. Crouching down, she grabbed the child in a tight embrace as she felt the little girl breakdown with heart wrenching sobs.

Nodding at the ambulance attendant, she walked into the ER and into the treatment room that Dixie pointed her to. Jennifer had a strangle hold around Bree's neck. It took all of her soft cajoling to get the child to loosen her hold on her, but she could not get Jennifer to release her grasp completely.

"Honey, the doctor just wants to check you to make sure that there are no hidden injuries from the accident."

The child buried her head in Bree's shoulder and cried, "Noooo! I want my mommy."

Looking up at Dr. Morton, Bree shook her head softly and told him she would keep an eye on the little girl, that maybe when her father arrived they might be able to get her to let him do his examination. Mike agreed that would easier and left the room. Bree sat down on the small rolling seat and gently rocked the child in her arms until she felt her relax.

The guys were about half through their list of hydrants that they needed to check over when they heard the radio crackle to life. Johnny was closest to the squad and reached through the window to grab.

"Squad 51, this is Station 51. Do you read?"

"Squad 51 here. Read you loud and clear," replied Johnny.

"You are asked to return to the station immediately," was the answer he received.

"10-4…on our way," stated Johnny. As they got back in the squad and took off, the guys wondered what was up that they would be asked to return to the station before their job was done.

Roy swiftly and expertly backed the squad into the bay. Shutting off the engine, he laughed as Johnny just about slipped getting out of the squad. Chet must have mopped the engine bay, he thought.

Entering the dayroom, Chet told Roy he was wanted in the captain's office…alone without his partner. Roy and Johnny looked at each other wondering what the heck was going on. He did an about face and headed to the captain's office.

"Sit down, Roy," asked Captain Stanley.

"Is something wrong, Captain?" he asked looking as confused as he felt.

"There is no easy way to say this, Roy, but Joanne and the kids were in a car accident this morning. Station 36 was the ones who responded to the call."

Roy felt like his knees were about to buckle on him and reached for the chair behind him. Just that morning he had thought to himself it was going to be a really good day, now it was ripped away in a heartbeat.

The Captain watched as Roy fought with his emotions, trying to keep them under control. His skin paled the minute that Captain Stanley imparted the information of his family's accident.

"Roy, we have Brice and Dwyer coming into relieve you and Johnny. The only reason I am relieving Gage is because I don't want you driving yourself to the hospital. This is too much of a shock for you," stated Hank to his worried crew member.

While Captain Stanley was talking with Roy, Johnny was sitting in the dayroom wondering why Roy was called in to the cap's office. As he mused about the situation, he failed to notice Brice and Dwyer walking into the dayroom.

Chet spoke up first. "Did you two get confused about your days or something?"

"No. Captain Stanley called requesting us to come in and replace DeSoto and Gage, and Chief McConikee approved it," stated Brice, who was also known as the walking rule book for the LA County Fire Department.

Johnny's head popped up when he heard what Brice had to say. "Why are we being replaced?"

"Don't know, Gage," replied Dwyer before Brice could put his two cents worth in. "We were just asked to come in and not told why…just that you and DeSoto needed to go somewhere."

As Dwyer finished telling Johnny what he knew, Hank popped his head around the corner and asked Johnny to join them in his office. He took off at a run to catch up with the cap and find out what the heck was up with the strange happenings at the station. He was surprised to see his partner sitting in the cap's office quite pale looking, but what he was filled in on next gave him a start and also the reason his partner looked the way he did.

Once the cap finished his explanation to Johnny, he told them to get out of the station and head for the hospital. Stopping long enough in the locker room to grab his and Roy's gear from their lockers, he sprinted for his vehicle. Johnny skidded to a stop as he noticed Roy just standing by his vehicle, looking unsure as to what to do.

"Come on, Pally, I'm driving," said Johnny as he put his hand on Roy's shoulder and steered him towards his vehicle instead. He reached around and opened the door giving his friend a bit of a shove towards the seat.

Roy was totally silent the whole trip to Rampart. Johnny kept glancing sideways at him hoping for some reaction from his friend. This wasn't like Roy. Usually if something happens he grouses about it a bit or goes on a "Gage" rant as he likes to call it. It wasn't long before Johnny pulled into the parking lot near Rampart's ER.

"I'm afraid to go in there, Johnny," said Roy.

Johnny turned to look at his friend and was shocked to see the fear in Roy's eyes and the tears hiding behind the fear. He didn't know what to say.

"What if something really bad happened to Joanne…or to my kids. I don't know if I could bear that, Johnny. I really don't think so," continued Roy.

"You don't know if anything really bad has happened, Roy. Think positively about this instead of assuming the worst. Cap didn't really have any information to give you other than the fact that they had been in a car accident," stated Johnny as he got out of the vehicle.

Roy glanced at Johnny before he opened the door. He tried to smile but the warmth didn't quite reach his eyes. "I know I shouldn't be thinking the worse but it just scares me about what could have happened. I can't quit thinking about it."

"Joanne? Come on, Joanne, I know you heard me," said Dixie as she softly shook Joanne's shoulder. "Roy should be here soon and I'm pretty sure you want to be awake for that."

She turned and looked at Dr. Brackett who had just joined them. He had been shocked when he heard who the new trauma case was. Dixie informed him that Dr. Early had just finished his neurological exam and went to check on the status of x-rays that had been taken a few minutes ago.

"How are the children?" he asked Dixie as he picked up Joanne's chart and read what Joe had observed.

"Chris has a broken ulna and is with Mike right now getting his cast put on," replied Dixie. "Jennifer is with Bree. The poor child is so upset that Dr. Morton couldn't even get near her."

"Has her husband been informed?" he asked without looking up from the chart.

"He should be arriving any moment now," stated Dixie. "Do you want me to see if he is here?"

Brackett handed her the chart and said, "No. I will see if he is out there. Keep trying to see if you can wake her up."

As he stepped out of the treatment room, he spotted Roy and Johnny walking down the hallway. From this distance, he could tell Roy was beside himself with worry.

Johnny glanced up and saw Dr. Brackett standing there, waiting for them. He touched Roy's arm and motioned to the doctor standing ahead of them. Roy picked up the pace, hoping the news that Bracket would have for him was good.

"My family, how are they?" he asked rather shakily.

"We will talk in a minute, Roy," stated Dr. Brackett as he caught the nurse's attention as she walked by. "Carol?"

"Yes, Dr. Brackett?"

"Is Treatment Room 1 open right now?"

"As far as I know the room is vacant," replied the nurse. "Would you like me to check it for you, Dr. Brackett?"

"No, that's alright," he replied. Looking at Roy and Johnny, he said, "Please follow me, boys."

He pushed the door open and indicated for the paramedics to enter the room. The room was dark as they entered so Johnny reached for the light switch on the wall. As the room became illuminated, the men were surprised along with the young woman who was half-asleep with a child cradled in her arms.

Bree felt Jennifer stir in her arms and as she opened her eyes she saw the child's father standing in the doorway. Jennifer all but launched herself from her 'auntie's' embrace as she spied her father walking into the room. "Daddy!" she cried. Roy knelt down and hugged his youngest child tightly in his arms, relief pouring from his soul as he held her.

She stretched to try to relieve the kink that was forming in her shoulder from holding Jennifer without support. Johnny came to stand behind and reached out to massage the sore spot on her shoulder. Leaning down, he whispered in her ear. Bree shook her head in a silent message that she didn't know.

Glancing up at Dr. Brackett, Roy said, "I can see that my daughter is fine, but what about the rest of my family…are they okay?"

"From what Dixie filled me in on…Chris has a broken ulna which has been set and is being casted as we speak. Other than a broken arm and a few bruises, he seems to be just fine."

He could see the relief on Roy's face and let the information on his son sink in before he continued on. "When the paramedics arrived, Joanne was unconscious and not easily aroused. On the way in, she seemed to be coming out of it but not completely. Neuro-checks are normal…"

Roy interrupted the doctor, "Has she regained consciousness at all?"

"With stimulation we have gotten a response from her but it's like she just wants to sleep and not be disturbed. Dixie told her that you are on your way to see her and that did get a fluttering of her eyelids but nothing more."

Standing up while still holding Jennifer, Roy looked at Brackett and asked, "Which treatment room is she in?" All he heard from Dr. Brackett was 'room 3' as he walked out to the hallway and saw Dixie standing by the door.

Dixie smiled as she saw Roy walking towards her. "She is awake but feeling a bit groggy and very sore."

Roy smiled at Dixie and said thanks as he walked into the treatment room. Once again he felt the sensation of relief roll down his body as he spied his wife lying on the gurney with her head and shoulders slightly raised. She had an IV in her left arm and was looking too pale as far as he was concerned.

She heard the door open and slowly but painfully turned her head to see who or what was entering the room. A tear slowly slid down her cheek as she saw her daughter safe and sound in her husband's arms.

"Don't cry, mommy," said a little voice. "I'm ok. Auntie Bree watched me while the doctor took care of you." Jennifer leaned a little ways out of her daddy's embrace to pat her mommy on the cheek.

Joanne couldn't help it as another tear slid down her cheek. She couldn't help it as she felt the worry for her daughter slipped away in that tear.

Running his hand down the top of her head, Roy leaned to softly kiss his wife. "It's nice to see you're awake, sweetheart. You had us all worried for a while as it seemed you preferred to be Sleeping Beauty rather than Cinderella."

"Funny man," said Joanne with a groan. "Roy, I'm so sorry but I think the car is a total wreck."

"I don't care about the car," was his reply. "I'm just glad that you, Chris and Jennifer are going to be alright. That's all that matters to me."

He pulled up one of the rolling stools so he and Jennifer could talk with her. He could already see the bruise forming on the side of her face where she connected with the steering wheel. Neither heard Drs. Early and Brackett enter the room. They both looked up when Dr. Early cleared his throat to get their attention.

"Well, Mrs. Desoto, your x-ray showed no cracks or fractures of the skull. The neuro-checks are all within normal range," stated Dr. Early. "But you do have a moderate concussion as evidenced by the length of unconsciousness you exhibited. And for that reason alone we will keep you overnight just as a precaution."

Joanne emitted a slight groan at the thought of spending the night in the hospital but knew from experience with Johnny and occasionally Roy, it was necessary. She smiled wanly at the doctor before saying anything.

"What about my son?" she asked. "He's okay, isn't he?"

"He has a broken ulna and is in getting it casted right now. Aside from that, he has a few bumps and bruises," replied Dr. Brackett. "Dr. Morton is with him and the two of them have been talking baseball the whole time."

Just as Dr. Brackett imparted that information, the object of the discussion was wheeled into the treatment room by Dr. Morton.

Chris was so excited about his cast that he had completely forgotten the reason why he had to have in the first place…until he was wheeled into the treatment room his mom was in. It shocked him so see his mother look so pale and like she was hurting. The smile he had over the cast vanished as he locked eye contact with his mother. He could feel his lip trembling and knew he didn't want to cry.

He felt the arms come around him before he realized his dad was in the room. When the familiar scent of his father's aftershave enveloped him, he couldn't help but breakdown and cry. The trauma of what really happened to his mom, sister and to him finally set in and he was able to express his fear.

Joanne glanced over at her son tightly wrapped in his father's arms and felt relief that her family was intact. She closed her eyes to say a silent prayer of thanks for their safely when she felt a small hand grasp her free hand and squeeze it. She heard her son softly whisper in her ear that he was sorry.

Opening her eyes, she looked at Chris and asked, "What do you have to be sorry about?"

"I didn't warn you fast enough that he was too close to us," was his reply.

Roy glanced at Joanne and then knelt by his son. "Why do you think it was your fault, Chris? You had nothing to do with whoever was driving irresponsibly."

"I know, dad, but I noticed the car had been too close behind us before we got to the curve in the road…"

"Chris, it's not your fault that someone wasn't pay attention to where they were at and tried to pass in a no passing zone. You did your best to let your mother know about it but the other driver took that option from you. They are to blame, not you. Do you understand me? You are not to blame."

Chris glanced first at his mother and then back at his father and nodded his head in agreement with his father's statement. Deep down he still felt that he should have told his mother sooner about the car but he was trying to behave and not yell at Jennifer to quit dropping her dolls all the time.

After Roy had left to go check on his wife and children, Johnny walked with Bree to the staff lounge. He had been surprised when he followed Dr. Brackett and Roy into the darkened treatment room and found his girlfriend sitting there with Jennifer asleep in her arms. He smiled as he remembered Jennifer's expression when she saw her daddy. He quietly slipped in behind where Bree was sitting and absentmindedly rubbed her shoulder as he softly talked with her while Roy talked with the doctor.

Johnny grabbed two cups and filled the first one up, handing it to Bree. After filling his cup, he sat down across from Bree and smiled as he watched as she sat there with her eyes closed inhaling the scent of the warm coffee.

"Do you plan on letting me know how you got roped into to helping Dixie?" he asked when she finally glanced up at him.

"The minute I walked in the ER, that's when," replied Bree with a grin. "I had just dropped Sierra off at daycare and walked into a madhouse of an ER."

"Yeah, I saw the aftermath of that. What the heck happened?"

Chuckling, she took a sip of coffee before she answered him. "A bus crashed. Seems the bus driver was gawking at a girl in a pair of short shorts and crashed into a tree. When I walked in, they were just finishing up with the last cheerleader. Dixie caught me as I was trying to get through to the lab

Johnny watched as the expression on Bree's face changed from cheerful to dismay. He wondered what she missed or forgot about. She surprised him by jumping up from her seat and dashing for the phone on the wall. When he heard her apologizing to her supervisor, Jack, he couldn't help but start laughing.

"What are you laughing at, funny boy?" she asked as she hung up the phone.

"You, sweetheart," he replied. "I have never seen you move that fast unless you are trying to catch Sierra before she crawls into something she shouldn't."

"I had completely forgotten about work when Dixie told me that Joanne and the kids had been in a car accident and was on their way to Rampart. She asked if I would help with Jennifer as the child was scared out of her wits," stated Bree. "I never once thought to tell Jack that I was helping out in the ER and would be late."

"He wasn't mad at you for not calling him I take it," asked Johnny as he tried to get his laughter under control.

"Not really," she replied with a confused look on her face. "He seemed very understandable…" Bree stopped in mid-sentence and slapped her hand to her forehead. "I saw Candie coming out of a treatment room when they brought Joanne in. I bet she told Jack that I was helping out."

Johnny was still chuckling to himself as he watched Bree keep up a running conversation with herself, answering her own questions on top of that. Since her move out to the ranch a week ago, he noticed she had a tendency to do that when she had something on her mind. He was pretty sure she wasn't aware of it either.

"You're getting a kick out of watching me talk to myself, aren't you?" giggled Bree when she noticed Johnny sitting there just following her every move.

"Honey, you've got to admit it's a little funny watching you ask yourself questions and then immediately answer them," chortled Johnny as Bree had already answered her question. "See, you already answered what you just asked me."

Bree looked at Johnny and broke up laughing as she realized she did just what he said…answered the question she had asked of him. This is what Roy walked in on when he entered the staff lounge looking for his partner.

Noticing Johnny's partner in the doorway, Bree nudged Johnny with her foot under the table, tipping her head towards Roy. Johnny looked up and smiled worriedly at his friend standing there looking lost. He was holding his daughter in his arm seemingly unsure of what to do next.

Johnny walked over to take Jennifer from Roy's arms and handed her to Bree. He then poured Roy a cup of coffee, sitting down at the vacant chair next to him.

"How's Joanne doing?" he asked.

"Hurting but at least she's conscious," replied Roy as he wrapped his fingers around the warm cup. "They are getting her ready to transfer up to a room."

Realizing Chris hadn't walked in with Roy, Bree asked, "Where's Chris at?"

"When Chris told Dr. Brackett that he got his arm broken when he was tossed around in the backseat, Brackett immediately admitted him," replied Roy. "He said he was doing it as a precaution as they couldn't be sure if something might show up later indicating a more serious problem."

Both Johnny and Bree asked at the same time, "Tossed around? How?"

"He had taken his seat belt off to pick up Jennifer's Barbie doll that dropped to the floor. When he got up off the floor, he noticed the car alongside them and swerving their direction. He wasn't on the seat when they slid into the ditch and hit the tree."

As she listened to her daddy talk about Chris getting hurt, Jennifer hid her face in Bree's shoulder as she was feeling like it was her fault that Chris got hurt. She could feel her adoptive auntie brushing her hand over her hair in a very comforting manner and just wanted to snuggle even closer so she could feel safe.

Bree knew the child was still feeling lost and upset about the incident and began subconsciously rocking the girl in her arms in hopes that maybe she would drift off to sleep again.

The three adults talked softly in hopes that Jennifer would nod off again and fall into a restful sleep. When she knew the child had fallen asleep and would not wake if moved, Bree went to stand up to place her on the couch but was stopped when Johnny took her from Bree's arms and gently set her on the couch, covering her with a blanket.

Roy took a sip of the lukewarm coffee in front of him. He glanced over at Bree and then to Johnny. He wasn't sure if he should even ask them this but he just couldn't leave his wife and son at the hospital. At the same time he felt like he was abandoning his daughter by not being with her either.

"What is it, Roy?" asked Johnny.

"I would like to stay here for a while to be with Joanne and Chris but I don't want to leave Jennifer either," stated Roy. "I don't know what to do."

Bree took the matter out of his hands. "Johnny and I will take care of Jennifer for you so you can spend time with your wife and son," said Bree as she placed her hand over Roy's. "Don't worry about her. We can take her to your home where she will be surrounded by familiar things until you get home."

"Thanks," replied Roy as he looked back down at his coffee cup.

Bree glanced at her watch and said that she had better get down to the lab before her boss sends a search party for her. She told Johnny to leave Sierra at the daycare and to just take Jennifer home. Before she left, she gave Roy a quick hug and told him that everything was going to turn out just fine.

Both guys sat in contemplative silence for a few moments longer. Johnny told Roy to get upstairs and check on his wife and son. With one last touch of his daughter's head, Roy said he would call Johnny at his home later to see how she was doing. As he picked up the sleeping child, Johnny said a silent prayer and followed his friend out of the lounge. Parting ways at the elevator, Roy watched as his partner & friend slowly walked out of the ER with his precious cargo.

As he stepped off the elevator, Roy spotted Dr. Brackett exiting the room that Dixie told him he would find his wife occupying. Pasting a smile on his face, he walked up to the doctor and asked him how she was doing.

Kel looked up from the chart in his hand and smiled when he saw who addressed him. He told Roy that Joanne was resting comfortably in bed and had fallen asleep before he left the room. He told the young man to go ahead and sit with his wife for as long as he wanted.

Roy slowly opened the door wide enough to slip in. He quietly crept into the room, pulling the door shut without a sound. Grabbing a chair and sliding it close to her bed, Roy sat down and silently contemplated his life with this woman. He took her hand in his and subconsciously rubbed his thumb across the back of it as he thought about their life together.

As he sat half-sleep, lost in his memories, Joanne slowly woke to feel her husband's hand grasping hers. She could hear him chuckling and wondered what he was finding so funny. Deciding it felt like she was sliding off the end of the bed, Joanne tried to scoot herself back up and couldn't stop a groan from escaping.

Roy shot up in the chair and found himself looking into his wife's pain filled-eyes.

"Are you hurting?" he asked as he leaned closer to her.

"No, just felt like I was sliding off the end of the bed. So I tried to scoot myself back up but it hurts to even do that," she groaned. "How long am I going to feel like I was run over instead of hitting a tree?"

Before he answered her, Roy helped his wife get more comfortable in bed. He complied when she asked him to sit on the edge of the bed instead of the chair.

"So what were you chuckling about a minute ago?" she asked.

"Just remembering the first day I met you," he replied with a slight blush growing on his cheeks. "And as for the answer to your other question, it depends…on how much you let it take over your recovery."

"That was a very _memorable_ day in more than one way, if I recall," stated Joanne as she giggled when she saw her husband blush. "Did Chris get settled in his room?"

"Yep. He's already challenging his roommate to a game of Chinese checkers. I don't think an overnight stay is going bother him as much as he thought it would."

"Probably not, but I wish I could remember more of the accident. I didn't even realize he had taken off his seat belt," she said. "I remember telling Chris to leave his sister alone. After that, the last thing I remember is seeing the car that had been following us for several miles try to get around me when we just entered the first part of the S curve."

Roy instinctively felt suspicious of the car. He knew he had to ask. "Just how long had that car been following you?"

"I don't know really, maybe twenty minutes after I left the house," replied Joanne. "What are you thinking, Roy?"

"I'm not sure yet," was his answer. "What exactly did you do when you realized that the idiot was going to try to pass you?"

"First I slowed down. I figured if he was going to be dumb enough to try to pass on a curve even though it's clearly marked not to so I wanted to slow down enough for him to fly by me," she said.

Just then Joanne was hit by a yawn so big she couldn't begin to hide it from her husband. She looked up at him with apologetic eyes and he chuckled. Changing the subject, he asked her if she would like to sleep for a bit. When she told him yes, he made the move to sit back in the chair. She told him that she really wanted him to stay with her and slid her sore body over to make room so he could lie down next to her.

The couple softly talked for a little while longer until Roy noticed that Joanne's answers had come to an end. He rose up on an elbow and saw she had fallen asleep. He rested his head back on the pillow and closed his eyes. Soon he too was sleeping deeply, not realizing Bree and Dixie had peeked in on them an hour later.

When Bree peeked into Joanne's room, she noticed that both she and Roy had fallen asleep. Knowing that she needed to rest and that it wouldn't hurt Roy to get some either, she quickly pulled her head back out the door. After she had quietly pulled the door closed, she turned and almost ran over the head nurse from the ER.

"Good grief, Dixie!" she exclaimed. "You need to put on some noisier shoes so people can hear you."

Chuckling at Bree's reaction, she replied, "But it wouldn't be as much fun. Everything okay in there?"

"Sleeping. In the mood for lunch?"

"You read my mind," Dixie stated. "It's nice out. Let's eat on the patio."

The two women turned around and headed back towards the elevator. While waiting for the lift to arrive, they talked about the strange circumstances of Joanne's accident. Roy had talked with the two paramedics from Station 36 that had been called to the scene. Jake, the senior paramedic, said that whoever called in the accident never went back to the scene to wait for their arrival. He said the anonymous caller stated that he 'thought' he had seen a car go into the ditch but wasn't sure and hung up.

Arriving at the accident, the only witnesses they found were a couple who came upon the scene ten minutes after the 9-1-1 call had been made. They knew not to remove any of the victims but had tried to calm the children down by talking with them and distracting them from the stillness of their mother in the front seat.

Both women moved out of the way when a delivery person went to step off onto the floor they were on. Whoever was behind the two bouquets they were carrying, they had no clue. Dixie turned to Bree whispering she would love to snatch the bouquet of peach and red roses from the arms of the delivery person. As she hit the button that would take them back down to the ER, Bree giggled and said she would prefer the other bouquet as roses never seemed to last too long.

Lunch was quickly forgotten as when the elevator doors opened, the girls were greeted by chaos. The police had brought in a couple of biker gang members who just couldn't get along. Dr. Brackett already had his hands full with one guy who was hell-bent on attacking the other guy. The other biker who was in handcuffs found himself in a chokehold by the other officer and pretty much gave up.

Bree look at Dixie and told her she would see her at the end of their shift for an early dinner since seemed lunch just took a nose dive. The girls parted ways and went back to work.

Back in Joanne's room, Roy crackled an eye open as a small squeak from the room's door was loud enough to disturb his nap. In the dark of the room, it was light enough for him to see a nurse put a bouquet of flowers on the side table. He smiled as knowing his partner and his girlfriend more than likely had them sent so Joanne would wake to something cheerful instead of the sterile hospital room.

Quietly he raised himself up and off the bed without disturbing his wife. Feeling the need to find the rest room, he left her room to go find the visitor's lounge for that floor. Stopping a nurse, he was pointed in the direction he needed to. Thanking her, he took off a brisk clip to take care of business.

Joanne felt rather than heard her husband get up and leave. The painkiller they had given her before she was moved upstairs was starting to wear off. Grimacing as she shift positions and raised the head of her bed a little farther, she couldn't help but smile when she saw the flowers on the side table.

Once she had herself situated, she called for the nurse and asked if she could have another pain pill or at least something to kill the headache. Before her nurse left the room, she asked her to move the flowers to the over-the-bed table so she could open them up.

As she pulled the plastic covering away from the flowers, she gasped out loud when the first flower to greet her was the purple orchid. She didn't even see the red carnations surrounding it as her focus was totally on the orchid. Reaching up with a shaking hand, she took the card nestled in the flowers.

Finding the coffee pot in the visitor's waiting lounge, Roy stopped to grab two cups, one for him and one for Joanne. Gazing out the window while he filled the cups, he noticed it turned out to be a nice day. The sun was shining and not a cloud in the sky.

Roy softly whistled to himself as he walked back to his wife's room. Just as he was reaching for the door handle, he heard his wife shout something he normally would never hear her say, not in front of the kids or anyone else. Shoving the door open with his shoulder, Roy practically fell into his wife's room.

"Jo, what's the matter?" he asked as he placed the coffee down on the side table. "You're not hurting, are you?"

"No, I'm not hurting but I am truly pissed off!" she explained as she pointed at the bouquet of flowers on the over-the-bed table. "So help me if I _**ever**_ get the chance to meet this….." When she realized she was shouting at her husband, Joanne threw her hands up to her mouth and tried not to giggle at the look on his face.

Sensing something out of the ordinary set his wife off, Roy glanced at the flowers and could feel the blood drain from his face. He now understood what made his wife upset…a purple orchid nestled among red carnations. He turned his gaze back to his wife and noticed the tears in her eyes. He grabbed her in his embrace as the dam broke.

"Joanne…" he stated to say when she interrupted him.

"It's not the flowers that have me upset, Roy, it's the card," cried Joanne. "He planned this!"

Roy took the card from Joanne's hand and could feel the blood rush back into his face as the rage towards this individual filled him. He kept his face averted from his wife until he could get his emotions under control. The cold tone of the message made his skin crawl.

"_Next time it will be worse."_

With his anger barely in check, Roy tossed the card onto the table right next to the flowers. He turned to his wife who was still struggling to keep her emotions in check. He gave her another hug before heading to the door.

"Roy, where are you going?" she asked.

"I have to call the detectives on this, Jo," he stated. "They need to know that he is still lurking around and watching us. That's the only explanation I can give. He held back until we let our guard down and then struck again. I'll be right back.

As luck would have it, as Roy walked down the hall to make a call from the visitor's lounge, the two detectives he had in mind to talk to, stepped off the elevator.

"Mr. DeSoto, could we have a word with you?"

Roy jumped when he heard his name called. The detectives could see the surprise on his face and then the relief. The two men exchanged glances and in the silent communication of two people who work closely together, instantly knew that this man and his family had now become targets.

"I was just going to call you," said Roy. "But I guess I now want to know…why are you here?"

"We found the car that sideswiped your family," stated Detective Davison. "But we really don't feel we should talk out here. Is there some place we can go to talk in private?"

"Yeah, my wife's hospital room. Follow me."

The detectives followed Roy back to Joanne's room. Joanne quickly wiped her eyes when they walked into her room. He could see the questioning look his wife's eyes. Turning to the two men, he introduced them to Joanne, explaining to her that these were the two detectives he had been telling her about when they first realized that Bree's stalker was now watching all of them.

"How do you know that my accident is tied to this person," asked Joanne as she directed them to sit down.

Detective Crockett spoke first. "When we first heard of your accident, Mrs. DeSoto…"

Joanne interrupted the detective and stated, "Please call me Joanne. Mrs. DeSoto is too formal and from what I am gathering about this whole situation, we have not seen the last of you or Detective Davison."

"Alright…Joanne," chuckled Detective Crockett. "Like I was going to say when we first heard of your accident, we wondered the same thing. But we really had no proof until they found the vehicle that sideswiped yours."

"Found the vehicle? Where?" asked Roy.

"It had been abandoned in a parking lot in Carson…about eight blocks from your station house," continued Crockett. "The only reason we knew that it had to be tied to this case was the orchid found on the front seat and the note that read, _"Next time it will be worse."_ The impound lot called us immediately when they discovered it."

The detectives couldn't help but notice the glance exchanged between the couple. Detective Davison pulled his chair closer to Joanne's bed as to be a little closer in terms of eye contact with the woman.

"I was wondering why you were on your way to call us, Mr. DeSoto," stated Davison as he glanced back up at Roy.

"Call me Roy," he replied. "And I think you pretty much have guessed why I was on my way to calling you."

Sitting on the edge of the bed, Roy reached for Joanne's hand before he continued the conversation with the two detectives. He noticed that Detective Crockett had pulled out a notepad and was prepared to take down the specifics of what Roy was about to tell him.

"My wife received these flowers about four to five hours after she was admitted to the hospital with the same saying on the card," stated Roy as he pointed to the flowers. "I thought they were from some friends of ours, but when I returned from getting some coffee, I could hear my wife speaking in no uncertain terms her displeasure with the flowers."

"Hence the reason for wanting to call us," stated Crockett. "It's kind of scary how this person seemingly gets around inconspicuously, not bringing attention to himself yet manages to always be more than two steps ahead of us."

Roy looked at the two detectives and asked them pointblank, "What does this mean for us? He ran my family off the road! Who's to say it won't happen again. What is going to be done for us? Are we going to be back under watch again?"

His rapid fire questions that he continued to throw at the detectives showed just how rattled this incident had the paramedic. Joanne watched as her normally stoic husband questioned the detectives harshly without allowing them to answer anything he asked of them. He still had a hold of her hand and no matter how many times she squeezed his or tried to pull hand out of his to get his attention, it was to no avail.

Finally Detective Crockett put his hand out and said "Cease!" startling Roy into quietness. "I can understand your concern for this whole situation and for the welfare of your family. The problem is we have no clue as to who this person is. Every angle we have looked at, every lead we have tried to find, have led to nothing."

"Then what the hell do you plan to do about it? It seems like none of us are safe anymore. Up until now he was just playing with us, now it seems the ante has been set higher and that price is going to be someone's life!"

Detective Davison stepped in. "Mr. DeSoto, we are doing all that we can but until this individual screws up, we are as much in the dark as you and everyone else involved in this."

"What my partner says is true," broke in Crockett. "If it would make you more comfortable, we can have an uniformed officer stationed outside your wife and your son's rooms."

Realizing he had been close to losing his temper, Roy glanced down at his wife and then back up to the detectives. "That won't be necessary. We all know the real target is none of us, that the rest of us are just collateral damage or a means to make his statement known to who he really wants."

Both Crockett and Davison told Roy and Joanne that they have a team going over the car to see if there is anything in it that could lead them to this psychopath and that as soon as they had something to report, they would contact them. Roy told Joanne that he was going to walk with the detectives to the elevator and that he would be right back.

Roy stopped the detectives before they reached the elevator. He wanted to know if there was anything he could do to keep this from happening to his family again. He told the detectives that this had scared him deeply and he wasn't afraid to admit it.

It wasn't hard for the detectives to notice just how much this has rattled the fireman but they really had no easy answer for this and told him just that. As they discussed the situation and tried to think of ways to keep all of them out of harm's way, the elevator finally stopped on their floor.

Stepping off the elevator, Bree looked up to find Roy standing with the two detectives she had met a few months ago. She was puzzled about why the detectives were here on the same floor that Joanne had been brought to. At the same time she couldn't help wondering why Roy was looking at her rather harshly but chalked it up to concern for his wife.

"Hi, Roy, how's Joanne doing?" she asked she tried to smile but feeling very uncomfortable at the intense look she was receiving from him. "Is there something wrong?"

"You should know," replied Roy rather tersely. "It seems your 'friend' is the instigator of my family's entanglement with the trees."

"What…what do you mean my 'friend'?" she asked feeling all the more confused and not following the conversation at all.

"Your 'friend'…the one who seems to think we are standing between you and him…the one who has placed a target on anyone's back who is even associated with you…that's who!" stated Roy loudly as he struggled to keep his emotions in check.

Bree felt the color drain from her face when the realization of what he meant sunk in as she shifted her gaze from Roy to the detectives and then back to Roy. She could see in his expression that he was very unhappy with this turn of events and knew he was placing some of the blame on her.

The detectives were trying to get Roy to head back to his wife's room or at least get on the elevator and ride down with them, but he wanted nothing to do with them. He had the one person he felt like blaming right in front of him and he felt the need to let her know, in no uncertain terms, just how he felt.

"Don't you have anything to say?" asked Roy very sarcastically without waiting for an answer from Bree. "Well, I do and now I don't care who hears it. Because of you, my wife and children could have been seriously hurt or worse in that accident. Did you even bother to think what might happen if this 'friend' managed to find you and start up his obsession again? Guess what, girl…he did and instead of taking it out on you, he is going after anyone who is dumb enough to friend you!'

Once Roy finished venting his anger on Bree, she turned without a word and ran for the stairs. Watching Bree take off like she did, Roy suddenly felt like a jerk as he realized what he had done and the crowd that had observed his tirade. Thanking the detectives for stopping by, he quietly turned around and headed back to his wife's room, trying to figure out how to straighten out this mess.

Bree stopped her headlong flight down the stairwell, just short of the exit into the emergency room. Leaning back against the wall, she willed her racing heart to slow to a manageable pace and began to breathe deeply to get everything under control.

Roy's attack completely caught her off guard. When she saw the detectives talking with him outside of Joanne's room, she never dreamed it was because her stalker had been the cause of the accident. As she realized from what Roy was saying to her…the accident was a direct result of interference from the stalker, a cold dread filled her. It scared her so badly that she could think of was her friend and her children, how badly this could have gone and what she could have done to prevent any of these things from happening.

'Get yourself under control,' she thought to herself. 'I can't leave through the ER if I look like the world dropped out from under me.' Noticing the shaking in her hands had diminished and taking one more deep breath, she opened the door to what was the organized chaos of the emergency room.

Waving at Dixie at the nurses' station, she quickly whisked through the ER and into Rampart Hospital to pick her daughter up at the daycare. Dixie watched as Bree quickly walked through the ER without stopping to chat, but just absently waving at her as she went by.

'Strange,' she thought as Bree said she would stop at the ER desk and the two of them were going to have an early dinner together. Shaking the questions from her head, Dixie proceeded with giving report to the oncoming staff for the evening shift.

Joanne could hear someone raising their voice in the hallway but didn't associate it with her husband. With the remote in hand, she clicked from one channel to the next, not finding much to watch with the limited channel selection they had. She finally stopped on one of the local talk shows and absentmindedly listened to it as she thumbed through the magazine Dixie had dropped off earlier.

She glanced up when she heard the door to her room open and was surprised to see her husband walking with his head down as if he had done something wrong and didn't want to look her in the eye. Remembering the raised voice from the hallway, she wondered if he didn't have something to do with that.

"Roy, what's wrong?" she asked him. When her husband finally made eye contact with her, she was stunned to see that he looked almost physically ill about something.

"Roy, please tell if something is wrong. Did the detectives tell you something that they didn't want me to know?" she queried as she began to fear the worst.

"No, Joanne, they had nothing more to tell me," he replied very softly. "It's more like something I just did that I am not sure I can rectify."

"It can't be that bad, Roy," she said calmly. "I'm sure whatever it was it can be fixed. Now tell me what happened." She patted the side of the bed near her, indicating she wanted him to sit down next to her.

Instead, Roy sat down in the chair next to the bed and placed his head in his hands. He couldn't help recalling the look on Bree's face when he finished his tirade at her. The color had drained from her face and even though the tears were in her eyes, she wouldn't let them fall. Rather, she turned and vacated the area to avoid a bigger scene than the one he started.

Glancing back up at his wife, Roy stated, "It's bad, Jo. Bree walked off the elevator just as the detectives and I left your room. All she did was asked me how you were doing and that's all it took."

"Took what?" she asked her husband softly as she placed her hand on his, guessing that something did happen out in the hallway.

"When I saw Bree, all I could think of was her connection to this and how irate I am with this person who caused the accident that I went and took it out on her," he whispered. "I didn't stop to think of where we were standing or who was nearby listening, all I could think about was you and the kids, the accident and how this person is messing with our lives."

"Oh honey," sighed Joanne as she knew just how much this was bothering her husband. "I think Bree understands how concerned you are with everything that happened."

"If you could have seen her face, Jo," said Roy as he felt his emotions coming back under his control. "She was devastated. The worst of it is quite a few people heard my little speech. I can only imagine how the grapevine is flying with this one."

Joanne softly chuckled to herself as she knew as well as Roy did about the Rampart 'grapevine' when it came to gossip. It could give the tabloids a run for their money when it came to speed and inaccuracy. But knowing Bree and how she handled the challenge a newspaper reporter threw at the general public to locate the missing singer, she knew the girl would breeze through this without a scratch.

Reaching out to reassure her husband that Bree could handle herself when it came to gossip at Rampart, she also talked to him about how they were going to handle resolving Roy's blowup at Bree. Brainstorming possible ways of apologizing to the girl flew around the room. Soon the couple was laughing as they began to come up with some pretty outlandish and ridiculous ideas to make her feel better about what happened. Roy even suggested setting the phantom on her but Jo immediately vetoed that as Bree seemed to always be one up on the phantom.

Eventually the silliness of their conversation relieved the stress that Roy had been feeling about what happened earlier. He stressed to Joanne that he would find a way to talk to Bree tomorrow and apologize to her for what happened. Still chuckling about some of the crazy ideas they had brought, Joanne glanced at Roy and asked him what he did with Jennifer.

Roy told her that Johnny volunteered to take Jennifer back to the DeSoto home and watch her until Roy got there. He also told Joanne that he called her sister, Nancy, shortly after she got settled in to her room and let her know what had happened. In true sisterly fashion, Eileen told Roy she would be on her way up to Torrance to watch Jennifer so that Roy could stay at Rampart with Joanne and Chris.

Seeing the tiredness in Joanne's eyes, he pulled the chair close to her bedside and told her to close her eyes and fall asleep. He took the remote from her hand and switched to the station that had the evening news he liked and turned the volume down. Shortly after Joanne fell asleep, he followed suit with his head slowly dropping to the side.

Johnny looked at the phone with a puzzled frown upon his brow as he hung it up. Bree had called and said that she was going to pick up Sierra from daycare and head home as she had a nasty headache and didn't think it would be good for her to come over to the DeSoto home. He thought Bree sounded like something wasn't right but chalked it up to the headache she said she had. He told her that Joanne's sister, Eileen, should be there shortly and then he would be on his way home also.

Stopping by Jennifer's room, he peeked in the door and saw the child was still fast asleep. It took him about two hours to get her to settle down and to quit worrying about her mom and brother. He finally had her convinced that Dixie would not let anything happen to them while they were at the hospital. The two of them had a light lunch of Jennifer's favorite sandwich, PB & J, with chips (he figured she deserved a bit of junk food) and a glass of milk. Within a half an hour of their lunch, the little girl couldn't contain her yawns anymore and let her uncle tuck her into bed.

He sat by her bed for about twenty minutes making sure she had fallen asleep before he left her room. Back in the kitchen, he cleaned off the table and washed their lunch dishes. As he finished drying the dishes and putting them away, he noticed Eileen's car pull into the driveway. Hanging the towel back on the stove's handle, he went to meet her out front.

"Hi, Eileen," said Johnny as he took one of her bags from her hand. "How was the drive up here?"

"Uneventful," she replied. "Traffic was light so it only took me a fraction of the time to get here. How's my sister doing?"

"When I left to bring Jennifer home, they were just taking her up to her room. Roy said she's feeling pretty sore and has a whopper of a headache but looking forward to some peace and quiet for at least one night."

Eileen listened to Johnny talk as she followed him to the room she would be occupying while she stayed with her sister and her brother-in-law. She laughed as he kept up a running dialog without seeming to stop for breath. Remembering what Joanne told her about her husband's younger partner, she couldn't help chuckling to herself as she could understand why she said Johnny was like having another kid running around the house.

"…so Jennifer is still sleeping. I'm thinking that you might want to wake her up otherwise I'm thinking she'll be up all night," stated Johnny as he set down her bag.

"Well, I agree with that but at the same time I don't know if I'm going to be able to sleep wondering what caused my sister's accident," replied Eileen.

Johnny turned to Nancy and asked, "Didn't Roy tell you when he called you?"

"No, he just said she and the kids had been in an accident and wouldn't be coming down for the weekend after all. That's when I told him I would come up and help with Jennifer until Joanne and Chris were brought home tomorrow," she said. "So what should he have told me?"

"Someone ran them off the road," he said. "It seems this person wasn't paying attention to where they were and tried to pass her on a curve and got a little too close to her, bumped her and caused her to lose control."

Eileen gasped out loud as Johnny finished the story. "So that's why Roy sounded so rattled when he called me. I knew there had to be more to the story that what he was telling me."

While Johnny and Eileen were discussing the accident, Jennifer was slowly waking up and feeling really scared as she knew something bad had happened that morning. She knew they were supposed to be going to her aunt's house but realized she was back in her own bed.

She could hear voices outside her bedroom and slid her legs over to dangle off the side of her bed. She could hear her 'uncle' Johnny talking to someone but it wasn't her mommy or her 'auntie' Bree. Hearing the word, 'accident,' brought back the memory of what happened that morning. Jennifer started to cry and ran to her door, flinging it open and running towards her 'uncle'.

"Jenny Bean!" exclaimed Johnny as he caught the 4-year-old in the middle of her headlong rush. He hugged her close to him as he felt her little body shake with the heartfelt sobs coming from her. Glancing at Eileen, he could see the tears in her eyes as she watched the child cling to him.

"Honey," he said softly to her. "Your aunt Eileen is here to see you. She was really worried when she heard about the accident."

The child looked up from his shoulder and gave her aunt a watery smile. She pushed away from Johnny and told him to let her go. He smiled as he handed her over to Nancy.

A short while later, Johnny told Eileen and Jennifer good-bye and headed home to his own family.

Supper had ended two hours ago. Throughout the meal Bree had been quiet, contributing to the conversation but seeming to be somewhere else. When the table had been cleared and dishes done, the young couple took their daughter outside in the warm evening air to play on the lawn.

When Johnny offered to bathe and put Sierra to bed, it had surprised him when Bree told him to go ahead but didn't follow them back into the house. Usually she liked to 'supervise' as he called it but it was more like refereeing between the two because Sierra liked to splash her daddy. He would always reciprocate until Bree would step in to remind them both to behave.

After settling his daughter down for the night, Johnny headed back into the living area of his home. Bree was nowhere in sight. He was really worried about her. She seemed to be taking the accident to Joanne and the kids a little too hard, he thought, there has to be something else that was bothering her.

"Bree?" he called out. He softly heard a voice outside telling him she was by the barn.

Johnny stepped outside and saw her sitting atop the rail of the corral. Her silhouette made a pretty picture in the dusk of the night. He leaned against the corral fence and glanced up at her.

"What's bothering you, sweetheart?" he asked.

"This whole day," she replied without looking down at him. "I couldn't believe it when Dixie told me that Joanne and the kids had been in a car accident. Poor Jennifer, she looked so terrified when the ambulance attendant let her out of the front seat. When she spotted me, she clung to me like I was her lifeline."

"You were familiar to her in a time of crisis. She had no clue what happened to her mother or her brother," he said. "But, Bree, I think there's more to this story than you're telling me."

Bree finally glanced down at him and he could see the tears in her eyes. "Johnny, it's really nothing. It was just day that started totally wrong and didn't end any better."

"Please, sweetheart, come down and talk with me," stated Johnny as he raised a hand up to help her down. For moment she looked like she was going to refuse but then she swung her legs over the rail and accepted his help.

The young couple walked over to the patio and sat down on the lounger. Johnny kept his arm around Bree, keeping close to his side.

"Now are you going to tell me exactly what has you all out of sorts?" he asked teasingly.

"Like I said it's really nothing…" started Bree.

"Don't, Bree, it's not nothing. I want to hear the truth from you."

"Alright," she replied with a sigh. "Before I left work, I decided to run upstairs to see how Jo and Chris were doing. Chris was pretty much settled in for the night. When I got to Jo's floor, Roy was standing outside of her room with Detectives Davison and Crockett."

Interrupting, Johnny asked, "What were they doing there?"

"Joanne received a bouquet of flowers…but not from any of us. Nestled in the bouquet of red carnations was a purple orchid. Roy called the detectives and unfortunately I showed up as they were just leaving."

"What do you mean 'unfortunately'?" asked Johnny wondering just what had occurred.

"Now understand I don't blame Roy for being upset, after all his family had just been in a car accident and he needed to vent…" Bree was saying as Johnny interrupted her.

"Just what happened, Bree?" exclaimed Johnny all but shouting that at her.

"He basically said that anyone who is associated with me has a target on their back and his family's accident was directly caused by my stalker."

Johnny shot to his feet, angry with his friend for his verbal attack towards Bree. He couldn't see past that fact and understand that his friend had been concerned about his family's accident and just needed to vent to someone the pent-up feelings he had about the situation.

She watched Johnny pace back and forth muttering to himself and seeming to get angrier by the minute with his best friend/partner. Bree knew she needed to intervene before Johnny did something rash like calling Roy up and arguing with him over the phone or worse, going to his home and arguing with him there in front of Joanne's sister, Eileen.

"Johnny, please," she said as she placed her fingers on his arm.

Johnny stopped long enough to look down into her eyes and seeing the pleading look within them. Although he wanted to shake her fingers off his arm, the look he saw in his eyes made him realize that she had more to say. He wondered what else could have happened.

"What?" he asked.

"Please don't be angry with Roy," she pleaded.

"And why shouldn't I?" he retorted. "He blamed you for what happened and he definitely didn't need to shout at you especially in the middle of the hallway at Rampart."

"But what if he is right, what if this really is my fault. What if by returning to California, I brought this all on?" stated Bree as she turned away from his glance and stared out towards the corral.

"What if this person is thinking now that I am visible again that I will be an easy target, that he can once more go after the people I care about the most," she continued. "There are so many 'what ifs' that I don't know which way to turn anymore. I'm afraid that he will find a way to reach you…"

Johnny reached his arms around her and pulled her back again him. "I'm not about to let that happen. If Joanne's accident was caused by this psychopath, then we will take the necessary precautions to make sure it doesn't happen again to anyone."

"I wish I had your faith but you weren't there, you didn't see his face…the concern for his family, the anger for the one who caused it. He needed to vent and unfortunately I showed up making it easy for him to vent," she sighed as she relaxed against him.

Johnny's irritation with Roy deepened as he realized just how hurt Bree felt by Roy's tirade. He didn't see that Bree understood Roy's anger or concern of today's incident and forgave him for being in the receiving end of his rant, all he saw was her questioning why she came back to California.

Not wanting her to be any more upset than she already seemed, he tapped down his anger and locked it away for the time being. Taking a deep breath he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her closer to him.

"Sorry, Bree," he said. "You're right I need to see this from Roy's perspective. But realize this…it's NOT your fault. If you hadn't returned, I would never have found you again and never would have known my daughter. I thank God that you did come back."

Not wanting to say anything more, he rested his chin on the top of her head and hugged her to him tighter. The pair stood in total silence staring up towards the mountains as the sky darkened around them. What seemed like an eternity but in reality was only twenty minutes, Johnny released his hold only slightly on Bree…just enough to turn her around and kiss her.

Leaning down, he softly whispered something in her ear that seemed to relieve the tension of the situation. She giggled in response to what he asked, laughing even harder as he swept her up into his arms and carried her inside.

Johnny gently laid her on the bed, joining her with the intention of making her his. The last thing Bree remembered was his liquid brown eyes and lopsided smile as she fell

asleep.


	5. Chapter 5

"Home, Sweet, Home," she said as she slowly opened the car door. Joanne smiled as she held onto Roy's hand before she stood up.

Chris had already bolted out of the car and ran for the house so he could show his aunt the cast on his arm. Jo could hear Chris' excited voice as he was practically shouting to be heard above his sister.

"Are you ready for the cacophony of children?" Roy asked as he grabbed her belongings from the backseat.

"Headache or not, I miss the noise of my children," she replied. "I was never so glad when Dr. Brackett told me I could go home as long as I relaxed for the rest of the weekend, and the way I am feeling I will have no problem following that order."

Roy offered Joanne his arm to hang on to and the pair slowly walked up the sidewalk to the front door. Eileen, Joanne' sister, was waiting for them along with Chris and Jennifer who immediately wrapped her arms around her mother's leg and hug for all she was worth. Joanne let go of her husband's arm and placed a hand on her daughter's head.

"How you feeling, sis?" asked Eileen as she followed Jo into the living room.

"Like I've been hit by a truck instead of a tree," she replied with a laugh. "I didn't think I hit the tree hard enough to cause so many body aches."

"It doesn't matter how hard you hit something but how you hit it," stated Roy as he came back into the living room. "I'm gonna head out and work in the garage. Is there anything you need before I go out there?"

"No, you go ahead and do what you need to. Eileen and Jennifer will keep me company," Jo said as she cuddled with her daughter.

Roy headed out to the garage bypassing his son who came running back inside.

"Mom! Can I go with Bobby to the park?" he asked as he skidded to a stop in front of his mother and sister. "Can I, please?"

"Chris, you just got home from the hospital," she said as she looked at her sister who was rolling her eyes behind Chris.

"But, mom, all the guys are gonna be at the park and I want them to see my cast and see who signed it. Please?" Chris begged her.

With a dramatic sigh, Jo looked at him and smiled. "Go ahead, but if your arm starts to hurt I want you back home pronto. Got it?"

The sisters exchanged looks that said it all…kids are resilient and can survive just about anything. After asking Jo if she wanted something to drink, Eileen headed into the kitchen to grab the iced tea she had finished making before Jo got home. As she reached up into the cupboard for some glasses, she thought she heard another vehicle pull in the driveway.

"Eileen, did I just hear someone pull in the driveway?" asked Joanne from the living room.

"Yes. I forgot to let you know that Johnny and his girlfriend were going to stop by this afternoon," replied Eileen as she came walking back into the living room. "He had called earlier to see if they were going to let you come home and I let him know when you would probably be back."

Hearing a vehicle going by, Roy glanced up and noticed that it actually was coming to a stop in his driveway. He smiled nervously when he realized it was Johnny and Bree who pulled up. As he watched the couple exit the vehicle, he wondered what would be the best way to approach Bree and apologize to her for his awful behavior yesterday.

Bree glanced up at Johnny as she was unbuckling Sierra from her car seat and asked to please behave. He looked back at her before he shut the door and said that would depend. Shaking her head, she picked up her daughter and diaper bag, shutting the back door with her hip.

"Hey, Johnny, Bree," greeted Roy as they walked towards him.

"Good Afternoon, Roy. How's Joanne feeling now that she is home?" asked Bree as she positioned Sierra on her hip, grabbing the diaper bag.

"Better. She's happy to be back listening to the noise of the kids," replied Roy as he walked up to the couple. "She's inside with talking with her sister if you would like to join them, Bree."

"I think I will," Bree absentmindedly replied as she headed to the house.

Roy made eye contact with Johnny and immediately noticed that all was not right with his friend.

"I'm working on a dollhouse for Jennifer. Come on and keep me company while I finish with the roof."

"Sure," said Johnny as he followed Roy into the garage. He had to admit that Roy was good at woodworking as he listened to his friend tell him about the dollhouse he was making for Jennifer. All the way into town, Bree kept telling him to let it rest, that all was forgiven and to move forward. But in the back of his mind he was still steamed about how Roy treated Bree yesterday.

Roy noticed that most of Johnny's answers were one word or a grunt. He then knew that Bree must have said something about what happened yesterday at the hospital. He decided to just jump in feet first and hope that he could get his partner to talk about right away instead of having to pull it out of him like he usually has to.

"Okay, Junior, do you plan on telling me what's got your goat this time?" asked Roy.

"Who said there is anything wrong?" retorted Johnny a bit sarcastically.

"The simple fact that you're giving one word answers and/or grunts in reply to what I'm talking about," stated Roy. "Not to mention when I have to ask you what's wrong and I get a sarcastic answer that means I'm on the right track of questioning. So are you going to tell me what's wrong?"

Johnny whipped around and startled Roy with the furious look on his face. "You really want to know…okay, I'll tell you what has me upset. You do! Furthermore, what gives you the right…"

As Johnny proceeded to unleash on Roy, Bree was inside the house chatting with Joanne and Eileen. Jennifer was on the floor with Sierra and giggling at the baby's attempt at pulling herself up using the edge of the soft chair.

All three women's head turned as the volume of Johnny's voice was beginning to be heard in the living room through the open window above the kitchen sink. Bree stood up and straightened her skirt.

"Jennifer, could you help your mommy and aunt keep an eye on Sierra for me?" she asked before she headed out to the garage.

"Yes, I can," said the 4-year-old as she looked over towards her mother for approval.

"Do you want help, Bree?" asked Eileen.

"No but thanks for the offer, Eileen. I think I had better deal with these two on my own," stated Bree as she walked out of the living room.

Glancing at her sister, Eileen smiled and pointed in the direction that Bree headed, indicating she was going to check it out.

Bree walked out into the garage and purposely walked right between the arguing friends. At 5'2½" she barely stood chest high between the two but that was not going to stop her. As the two kept arguing over the top of her head, she knew she was going to have resort to drastic measures to get their attention.

When Johnny made a move towards Roy, Bree immediately jabbed one fist into his chest and planted the other into Roy's chest. Both backed up rubbing their chests as she continued on.

"What the hell is going on out here?" she asked shouting to get their attention. "We could hear you all the way inside the house and if we could hear you, I can't imagine what the neighbors are hearing."

"He asked what was bothering me and…"

"I don't care what he asked you," she stated loudly turning towards Johnny. "I told you to let it rest. I know Roy was just worried about his family and the accident and the arrival of those flowers didn't help. I was just a convenient sounding board for his anger…"

"But, sweetheart…"

Bree planted one finger in the middle of his chest as she glared up at him. "Don't 'sweetheart' me. I understood where Roy was coming from and I forgive him for that…"

Eileen watched the petite blonde as she repeatedly poked her finger into Johnny's chest. She couldn't help but giggle as she caught Roy's reaction to this little dynamo standing between him and his friend.

"She can sure handle herself with him, can't she?" stated Eileen as she returned to the living room. "What did she mean though about being a sounding board for Roy's anger?"

"Bree has him wrapped around her finger and he doesn't even know it," chuckled Joanne. "As for the other part, it's a really long story. Why don't you sit down and I will clue you in…but I don't want a word out of you until I'm done."

"…and if you think…" continued Bree hardly taking a breath until Johnny grabbed her by the arms, hauled her up against him and kissed her silent. When he released her, the look on her face said it all…she was speechless.

"Can Roy and I say something now?" asked Johnny as he glanced over at his friend who was smiling at the couple. Bree just nodded her head.

"I think we both got the gist of your message. You understood Roy's concern and his reaction to the flowers and then seeing you, right?" Bree once again nodded her head in response.

"And I believe you were saying how Johnny needed to cool down and step back and put himself in my shoes so he would be able to see where I was coming from. Am I correct?" asked Roy. Once again, all Bree could do was nod.

"Then, sweetheart, I think you covered everything," said Johnny as he smiled at her wide sapphire blue eyes. "Why don't you go back inside so that Roy and I can talk a bit more and finish this conversation by ourselves."

Kissing her one more time, he turned her around, giving her a little push towards the house. He chuckled as he watched her almost trip over the rake next to the door. He glanced over at Roy who looked a little sheepish at what had just occurred in his front yard/garage.

The guys walked back into the garage, grabbed a couple of beers from the cooler and headed for the backyard where the prying eyes of the neighbors who witnessed the argument between he, Johnny and Bree, couldn't be felt.

Bree laughed as she goofed up the recording once again. She could tell that Jason was about ready to wring her neck. It felt good to be back in the studio again. He had called her the Wednesday after Joanne's accident and told her about the studio and that they could use it in the evenings and weekends, she squealed with joy.

Back at the end of May when Jeremy got her up on stage at the park, she had been itching to get back to recording and had been working on a bunch of songs. It took Jason a couple of months to find a recording studio that they could begin practice in and it turned out to be a studio that belonged to the recording company she has first signed with.

The album they were working on for RCA records was going to be all of her songs. She had the band out to the ranch the first weekend after she moved in, when they weren't at the club and had them go through the sheet music she had filled up. Jeremy and Rick, her bass guitarist, had really good intuition when it came to what fit the band the best. She knew they wouldn't steer them wrong.

"Come on, Bree, you have this down pat," stated Jason through the intercom. "What's got you feeling like a giggly school girl?"

"Sorry, Jason, but it doesn't help when Mandy stands behind you and starts waggling rabbit ears over the top of your head and then pops her head around you and sticks her tongue out at me," chuckled Bree as she tried to get herself under control.

Without looking behind him, Jason cracked a comment to his unseen pest. "Mandy, if you don't want to be thrown out on your pretty little behind, I suggest you quit antagonizing our lead singer."

The only thing he heard from behind him was giggles and the shutting of the door which indicated to him that his cousin left the room.

"Okay, let's try this one more time, from the top…"

Bree smiled and placed a hand over one side of the headphones resting on her ears. She could hear the music began and slowly she began to sway to the music as she waited for her cue to start singing.

I'm gonna do it Darlin'

I could waste time tryin' to figure it out,

But I'm jumpin' anyhow.

I've never been this far

Didn't know love could run so deep  
Didn't know I'd lose this much sleep.

He smiled as he listened as Bree finally nailed it. As much as he loved his cousin, Mandy, sometimes he would love to wring her neck. Like Bree, Mandy also sang but she did it more for fun than anything else. She just didn't have the drive for it as Bree did.

Bree and Mandy together, he thought, that was just downright scary. The two were so alike when it came to their sense of humor and ability to stir up a crowd. Mandy was the one who could get the party started and Bree kept it going. When Mandy decided to pursue a college degree, most of the band breathed a sigh of relief.

Still there was never a dull moment. He was glad to see Bree getting back into the swing of things. When she walked away from her career four months after the death of her family, it took them all by surprise. Of course, none of them knew the real reason behind her leaving…Sierra.

"Earth to Jason?" asked Bree. "Hello. Are you still with us?"

Jason jumped when he heard a knock on the glass partition that separated the recording booth from the control room. When he looked down, there was Bree standing on the stool so she could reach the window.

"Get down you fool!" he exclaimed. "Are you trying to break your neck?"

She kneeled back down and slid to the floor, laughing. "No, I am just trying to get your attention. Where did you disappear to?" she asked as she stepped back into the control room.

"Just remembering how it was when Mandy was still a part of our group," he replied.

"Or you were remembering how quiet it was when she left," retorted Bree. "You have to admit that when she left for college, things did quiet down."

"True, but you still were pulling the practical jokes. We thought for sure when she left the jokes were done."

Chuckling slightly, she stated, "Oh my god, you guys did actually think she was the instigator of all those pranks. I love it!"

Jason chuckled right along with her before he stated, "Enough of that. That track sounded great. But before I let you go home, I have a question for you…Have you talked with Johnny about wanting to return to performing full-time yet?"

"No," she replied as she gathered her stuff. "We did have a long talk during his last few days off and he knows I really love to write the songs but I never got around to talking to him about quitting work at the hospital and returning to performing. I'm sure he will be okay with it."

"It's not like you to vacillate like this, Bree," stated Jason. "Usually you are very straightforward when it comes to your music."

"I know but there is so much more to consider than just myself. There is my daughter and the fact that if I do go back to performing, I might be gone for months on end," countered Bree. "I now have to consider the long-term future for when Sierra is older."

Jason chuckled at the expression on her face and replied, "Life gets a little more complicated as you get older. Well, get going for your daughter's sake or before Mandy corrupts her."

Placing her hand on the doorknob, Bree turned to Jason and laughingly asked, "The band is still coming to the ranch on Saturday, right?"

"Wouldn't miss it, Bree. We're gonna bring some of the instruments so we can have a jam session. Sound good to you?"

"Definitely!" she exclaimed as she darted out the door with a wave.

_He smiled to himself as he watched her get into her car. Finally, he thought, she is back recording her music. He shivered as he felt anticipation run through his veins, knowing it wouldn't be long and she would be with him. As she pulled out of the parking lot, he put his own vehicle in gear to follow her._

_As they back towards Carson, he figured she was going to pick up the child and then probably stop by to see 'fire boy'. No matter, he thought, they won't be back together for very long. He was going to make sure of that. When she turned down the road that led to the house she used to live in, he went right by the street. He wasn't gonna take any chances that she might think she was being followed. He knew she would come back this way to get the station house._

_He wasn't disappointed. Ten minutes later, she drove right by the spot he had parked in and didn't even notice him sitting there. He chuckled as he could see she was singing along with the radio. And as he had predicted, she was heading towards the station house. He could feel the anger with her build up but he slowed tamped it down as he needed to be patient. Soon, he kept repeating, soon._

_He couldn't help but smile though as she kept on going…the reason being both squad and engine were gone. He began to laugh as he now could follow her back to the ranch and watch her from there. Soon it would be all over and she would be with him. The 'fire boy' would be gone. The child no longer a part of her life and she would be all his._

Roy swiftly backed the squad into the station and laughed as Johnny cleared out of the vehicle before he even had it stopped. Mike was cooking today and Johnny did not want to miss out on any of Mike's spaghetti. As he exited the squad, he could hear Johnny and Chet sparring over something that had nothing to do with the dinner Mike had prepared but more about an article Chet was reading in a magazine.

Entering the dayroom, he spotted Mike draining the spaghetti and Marco was pulling a cooking sheet out of the oven that smelled deliciously of garlic bread. Chet was sitting at the table with Johnny all but breathing down his neck trying to get the magazine out of Chet's hand. Walking behind the two combatants, Roy reached out and snagged the magazine out of Chet's upraised hand.

"Hey…" shouted Chet as he turned to see who swiped his prize. He whipped back around to glare at Johnny who started laughing.

"You snooze, you lose, Chet," said Roy. "So what's in here that has you jumping all over Johnny again?"

"His girlfriend," retorted Chet. "Now gimme it back so I can finish reading it and torturing Johnny."

"The second article is out?" asked Johnny. "Roy, let me see it!"

"Now just wait a minute," exclaimed Roy as Johnny tried to grab it out of his hands. "It's mine now. I want to read it." Then he started teasing his partner by tossing over Johnny's head at Chet who in turn threw it to Marco. Marco threw it back to Roy who was standing by the door, but it was intercepted by the captain.

"What adolescent escapades are you guys up to now?" he asked with a raised eyebrow as he looked at what he had caught.

"They won't let me see the article in the People magazine on Bree," whined Johnny.

"Well, I guess this magazine is now mine to read as you juveniles think it's a toy," replied Hank as he sat down on the couch, proceeding to flip through the pages.

"But, Cap…" whined Johnny once again.

"Whine one more time, Gage, and you will be on the receiving end of latrine duty next time instead of Chet," stated the captain without looking up.

Johnny looked at his captain with his mouth moving but not saying a word. The rest of the gang was behind struggling not to laugh, finally giving into it after Chet tossed a rubber glove at Johnny and told him to use it like a pacifier.

With the supper dishes done and the kitchen cleaned up, the guys were settling in to catch the movie on that evening. As Chet was so inclined to put it, "a horror flick" that was sure to keep them up tonight. Johnny took advantage of the movie to snag the magazine and hid in the captain's office to read it undisturbed.

Reaching for the phone, he quickly dialed his home and while he waited, flipped through the pages of the magazine to find the article. As the phone kept ringing, he started reading the article. The young man who penned the article was good with words and very diplomatic when describing the loss of Bree's parents and grandparents in the accident and her subsequent breakdown. Just as he was becoming engrossed in the article, he heard "Hello?" and then heard a choice few words exclaimed as the cacophony of metal bouncing on the floor hit his ears.

"Is everything okay, Bree?" he asked.

"Peachy," she replied in an exasperated tone. "I've been trying to get some things ready for the party on Saturday and forgot that I had just shoved all the pots and pans that your daughter had been playing with back into the cupboard willy-nilly."

He chuckled and stated, "So that's what I was hearing when you picked up the phone."

"Yes. Next time I am going to write myself a memo to clean up immediately after she plays in the kitchen," Bree said as she began to chuckle at the thought.

"So is our little charmer already in bed?"

"No, she's still at Mandy's," stated Bree. "When I got there from the studio, she was still napping so Mandy said to just leave her there and she would bring her out on Saturday. I really appreciate her doing that as now I can really work on getting the house cleaned and some of the food ready for the party."

Johnny smiled as he thought about the party she had been planning for his birthday. At first he told her that she didn't need to do anything special but she just smiled at him and laughed, saying that he would have a hard time stopping her.

"So how was it being back in the studio?" he asked.

"It felt wonderful to be back in the studio, Johnny," exclaimed Bree. "Mandy stopped by after her shift to pick up Sierra and managed to irritate Jason. She kept making faces and rabbit ears above Jason's head to the point that I couldn't quit giggling."

Johnny couldn't help but laugh as he listened to her explain about the recording session this afternoon. He could hear the excitement in her voice and knew she thrilled beyond compare to be singing again. For the past couple of months ever since she sang at the Memorial Day picnic, he could see the restlessness in her every move. When she had told him that Jason had found a studio they could practice and record in, he was happy for her but at the same time he felt worried that she might find her life here lacking and want to leave.

"…so I have tomorrow off. What time do you think you will get home?" she asked him.

"Huh?" was his reply.

"I asked you what time you think you will get home tomorrow as I thought maybe you and I could spend some alone time before the group descends upon our home."

"I should be home by eight in the morning," he said. "But that's not why I called you. I called cause I finally was able to read the second article in People about you. I think the young man who interviewed you did a nice job on it."

Bree smiled when he said that. "Have you finished it yet?"

"No," Johnny replied.

"Well, why don't you finish it and we can talk about it in the morning when you get home. I'm going to try to finish with preparations for some of the salads I can put together tomorrow. I love you."

"Love you too, sweetheart," Johnny softly said as he hung up the phone.

He continued to read the article and his heart skipped a beat as she bluntly talked about her unplanned pregnancy and how she wouldn't change what happened as it gave her the greatest two gifts of her life…her daughter and Johnny. She didn't mention him by name, only that he was an LA County Fire Fighter. He then had to laugh as she talked about her disastrous return to California with her car breaking down not only once but twice (the second time almost causing her to be late for work).

Closing the magazine, he shut the light off on the captain's desk and left the office. As he entered the dayroom, he was greeted by catcalls and popcorn being thrown at him by Chet. Sitting down in the vacant chair, he turned to Chet, taking the popcorn bowl out of his reach and told him that there was nothing he could do that would ruin the rest of the night for him. With that being said, he tossed the magazine into Chet's lap and proceeded to watch the movie.

_She watched as he fell from the 2__nd__ floor walkway as the roof collapsed behind him. His screams were heard along with his partner's as he disappeared from view. When she opened her eyes, she could sense things around her had changed. It was dark but she knew the reason it seemed that way because she was blindfolded. All she could remember was being forced from her home by gunpoint._

_The vehicle slowly came to a stop. Her heart began to race as her fears rose to the surface. She was afraid of what would happen next. Sensing her door had been opened, she tried to swing her legs out but found it hard to move without sending her head spinning._

_He picked the girl up as he knew the drug he had slipped into her soda was taking effect. She felt as light as a feather in his arms. Pushing the door open with his foot, he entered the cabin and placed her on the bed._

_She felt the softness of the mattress as she slowly woke and became aware of her surroundings. She reached up with one hand to try to rub the sleep from her eyes, realizing she was no longer blindfolded. Slowly sitting up, she felt a heaviness encircling her ankle and noticed that she was chained to a bolt in the middle of the floor with enough length to allow her movement around the room. She reached for the curtain when she heard something behind her. She whipped her head around to find the sound when she saw…_

Gasping for air, Bree shot straight up in bed. She could feel her heart tattooing a rapid beat as if it was trying to escape from her chest. As she struggled to get herself and her breathing under control, she failed to notice the person she cared about most watching her from the doorway.

Johnny leaned against the door frame and studied Bree as she tried to get herself under control. He had been surprised when he got home that she wasn't up yet. In fact, it scared him into thinking that her stalker had somehow got in and had taken off with her.

From the hall he had heard Bree's restless sleep and knew that she was once again in the throes of a nightmare. It seemed that ever since Joanne's accident she had been having these dreams with more frequency. He knew from experience to let her wake up on her own as the first time he tried to wake her, she almost slugged him.

Bree could feel the tears running down her cheeks and wondered why this latest nightmare had her so rattled. Still oblivious to her surroundings, she swung her legs over the edge of the bed and reached for her robe. As she stood up, she sensed she was not alone in the room. Looking up, she gasped as she noticed Johnny for the first time.

"When did you get home?" she asked as she took a few deep breaths and wiped the tears from her cheeks.

"About five minutes ago. It spooked me when you weren't up. I thought for sure _he'd_ gotten in and took off with you," replied Johnny. "As I was walking down the hallway, I could hear you rustling around in here and found you experiencing another nightmare. Was it the same old one?"

Shaking the last of the cobwebs from her brain, she stated, "No. This time you were falling from the 2nd floor of a burning building. Then I was being taken by gunpoint and blindfolded, drugged. When I woke from the drugged haze, I was lying in a bed and chained to a floor. Johnny, it was awful."

She put her face in her hands and shook. Johnny didn't know what to say. It stunned him as it seemed that her dreams were getting worse. He could see that this dream had really shaken her up and that she was having a hard time letting go of the after effects from it.

"Honey, it's just a dream," he said as he held her closer. "There's nothing to worry about. Roy always has my back and so do the other guys on our shift. And as for the other thing, nothing is going to happen to you either."

He stood up and put his hands out of her. She looked up at him and gave him a watery smile as she was trying to get her emotions under control. "Why don't you head into the bathroom and freshen yourself up while I go get a pot of coffee started."

Bree walked on shaky legs into the bathroom. She knew Johnny was worried about these dreams that have been popping up way too often. Splashing water on her face, she gazed at her own reflection trying to keep herself from screaming. Johnny only knew half of what her dream showed her. If she told him the rest, he would freak out as it involved their daughter.

She dried her face, once more looking at her reflection and took a deep breath. She kept telling herself she needed to get things under control so everything would be perfect for Johnny's birthday party on Saturday. Just the thought of his reaction to the birthday present they all had planned for him was enough to put the smile back on her face and the spring back in her step.

Johnny smiled as he watched Bree bounce into the kitchen smiling. He chuckled as she came up behind him grabbing him in a big bear hug.

"What brought this change on?" he asked as he turned around to face her.

"Just the thought of your birthday party tomorrow and all the fun we are going to have," she replied as she grabbed a pan and placed it on the stove. "So how do you want your eggs done?"

She kept a running commentary about the happenings at Rampart as she stirred the eggs. He sensed nervousness in Bree's voice and watched the conflicting emotions race across her face, wondering what she had to talk to him about that she was finding difficult to put into words.

"Honey, I get the vibe that you have something you want to talk to me about. What is it?" he asked.

Bree kept chasing the eggs around in the pan trying to find the right words to say, knowing that she could be jeopardizing things between them. "Johnny, what would you say if I decided to go back to performing full-time?"

Johnny's head shot up to look at the back of Bree's as she hadn't turned around when she asked that question. For the past couple of months he had known something was bothering her but she always brushed it off as nerves due to the obsessed fan that was rearing his ugly head with more frequency. Now he realized that wasn't what was she'd had on her mind.

"You want to go back to performing full-time?" he queried as he wasn't sure he heard her right.

Removing the eggs from the stove, she turned to him, leaning against the counter. "Yes, Johnny, I do. It's been on my mind for the past two months. In reality, it's what I really want to do."

"So you want to put yourself back out there so your obsessed fan can take another run at you?!" exclaimed Johnny all but shouting at her.

"Good grief! Is that all you can think of?" retorted Bree. "Music was my life before that idiot entered it and it is going to be my life again. I cannot let whoever this person is dictate what I do with my career."

Pausing for a moment, Bree turned to dish up their breakfast and indicated to Johnny to sit down so they could continue the conversation.

"Johnny, I know that this fan is still out there," continued Bree a little more calm. "But I really feel strongly about this. Right now all I've done is gone into the recording studio and laid down some tracks for a couple of new songs. They still need to be pitched to RCA to see if they are willing to resign me for contract."

He was working at getting his emotions under control. He knew deep down that music was Bree's first passion and her choice for a career. But now that she was back in his life, giving him the opportunity to bond with their daughter, he just didn't want to give that up. He knew he would need to choose his words carefully so not to alienate Bree's feelings or worse, put a wedge between their fragile relationship.

"Sweetheart, it's not that I don't want to you have that career, it's just that…well, I'm worried what might happen if this fan manages to get close enough to harm you. Look what's happened so far," he stated with a calm tone. "Besides that, how will this affect me and Sierra?"

"Thus the crossroads that I find myself at," stated Bree. "I no longer have just myself to think about but also you and Sierra. Right now I'm more than happy to perform with the band again at the club and writing songs. Someday it would be nice to be back on the road but I don't foresee that anytime in the near future."

"So then what you are trying to tell me is that you are just sounding things out to see how it would go or if it would even fly?" he questioned. "You are not going to up and leave us and head to Nashville or other parts unknown?"

Bree softly chuckled at the little boy lost look on Johnny's face and realized just how worried he was that she was going to leave him. "I'm so sorry if this worries you, honey. I just needed to talk to you about it. I have no intention of leaving anytime soon. Why do you think I had Jason looking for a recording studio here in LA?"

She stretched across the corner of the island and kissed him lightly. He just looked at her with his lopsided grin not saying a word. He was pleased to hear that what she was discussing with him was only in the planning stage. Yet that nagging doubt would always be in the back of his thoughts…that she would someday disappear on him again without any warning.

"I'm sorry if I gave you the impression that I thought you would do this without a thought to me or Sierra. I think I'm more worried about this obsessed fan of yours catching up with you than I am about you returning to performing," said Johnny as he cupped her face in his hands. "I just want you to be safe in doing what you love, but what about your job at Rampart?"

"I would have to quit my job there especially if I want to record more songs. I can't work during the day and then record at night. It would take its toll not only on me but also on Sierra and you. Would that bother you if I quit working there?"

"Well, money would be a little tight I'm sure, but I think we could make it," he replied.

"Money won't be tight," said Bree with a wicked smile. "Johnny, I never told you this but I have enough money that neither one of us would have to work ever again if we didn't want to."

"What did you say?" he asked with a credulous look upon his face.

"I said money won't be tight. My father was a CPA/Investment Broker. Once the money started rolling in from my record sales, concerts, merchandise, etc. he began investing my money for me. I have enough that I don't need to work if I don't want to."

As he contemplated what she had just told him, Johnny put a forkful of scrambled eggs in his mouth and made a face. "Yuck. Bree, these things are cold." He pushed his plate towards her like a little kid.

"Give them here, my child," giggled Bree as she took the plate. "I will warm them back up for you and make some more toast. Now sit down and behave."

He chuckled at her mother-like tone and like any child got up to pester her. As she set the eggs back in the pan, he snuck up behind and in a very un-childlike way, grabbed her around the waist. Bree squealed and dropped the pan full of eggs on the floor which were instantly forgotten in the kiss that he gave her.

"Bree, honey, come wake up."

Johnny glanced down at his sleeping girlfriend and smiled as he thought of how their breakfast ended. He had only meant to help her but couldn't resist sneaking up behind her first. After she dropped the pan, the look on her face struck a chord in him and he couldn't resist kissing her. One thing led to another and well…he just smiled as that memory replayed in his mind. The nap felt good but he woke long before she did. As he glanced at the time on the clock, he knew Bree would have a fit.

"Sweetheart," he said again. "I think you might want to open your eyes."

He softly dragged the feather across her nose and then her lips, laughing as she reached up to swat it away but missed. Once more he lightly brushed the feather across her lips but this time couldn't help laughing out loud as she brought her whole arm up and caught him by surprise.

"You know, a kiss on the lips is a lot nicer than that damn feather," Bree said grumpily.

"Yeah, but it's not as much fun," he retorted with a chuckle. "But I think you might want to get up."

"Why? I don't have to work today and neither do you."

"True, but it's two in the afternoon," he said as he quickly moved out of the way.

Bree shot up in bed. "How long have you been up?" She fired the question at him while she grabbed her clothes and ran for the bathroom.

He followed behind her trying not to laugh too loudly at her running commentary as she started the shower and jumped in. He could hear her asking him questions and then before he had a chance to reply, answered them herself. He leaned against the bathroom counter still chuckling as he listened to muttering in the shower.

Bree kept mumbling to herself as she grabbed the soap and scrubbed the sleep from her eyes. He knows I need to get to town and finish up the grocery list for the party tomorrow, she thought, as she squeezed a little too much shampoo into her hand. Lathering up her scalp, she yelped when she got some in eyes which set her off muttering more about men and their ideas.

She opened the shower door and realized she did not leave a towel within reach. She glanced up to see Johnny standing there with a big grin on his face waving the towel just slightly out of reach of her grasp.

"John Roderick Gage!" she shouted at him. "Give me that towel! I have so much I need to get done today before the party tomorrow and you let me sleep."

Doing a slight dance as he kept the towel still out of her reach, he replied, "Just what do you still need to do? You have the house clean, most of the food is ready to be mixed or cooked tomorrow."

"Not everything," she stated in exasperation. "And what you mean by food is the cake and the pasta. I still have to get to town to buy the fresh vegetables, the meat for the grilling. I don't want to be working late into the evening. Now please give me that towel!" She stomped her foot impatiently wincing as she came down a little too hard on her heel.

"You okay?" Johnny asked with concern in his voice as he tossed the towel to her. He picked her up and sat her on the stool at the counter to check her foot. "What did you hurt?"

Tucking the towel around her, Bree replied, "I just stomped my foot a little too hard on the stone floor. It's nothing."

"It might be nothing but there is a little swollen spot on your heel."

"Great, just great. I still need to go grocery shopping and this will be fun to walk on," she said with a bit of irritability in her tone.

Johnny reached up and turned her face so he could look her in the eye. He smiled as he said, "You don't need to worry about going shopping. While you were still sleeping, I found your grocery list. It's finished."

Bree looked at Johnny with total disbelief on her face. "You did the shopping for me…for your own party?"

"It wasn't that hard, besides I stopped by to talk to Roy. Joanne was heading to the market too, so we rode together and she helped me," he stated. "Why don't you stand and see if the swollen spot is going to cause you any problems?"

Bree couldn't believe how thoughtful Johnny had been in letting her sleep and doing her shopping for her. Now she could finish up what she was making for the party and enjoy the rest of the day with him.

Johnny held onto her hands and helped her up. She took a couple of steps, smiling up at him and told him that it didn't hurt to step down on her heel. Letting go of her hands, he told her to get herself dressed and he would be out in the kitchen waiting for her. Bree smiled as she watched him walk away. That is one view I will never grow tired of, she thought to herself as she entered the closet.

He knew she was watching him leave the room and couldn't help but smile. As he headed down the hallway, he listened to her singing from the bedroom. Johnny loved it when she was singing as he knew she was in a good mood. And it seemed like lately she was always singing.

'Ringggg!" Johnny jumped up and swung around when he heard that sound. He couldn't help but chuckle at himself as he reached for the phone. One would think he had never heard a phone before.

"Hello?" he asked.

"Johnny, it's Mandy. Is Bree available?"

Glancing up, he saw the person in question enter the room. "Yeah she is. Just a sec," he replied.

Handing the phone to Bree, he mouthed that it was Mandy to her. He playfully swatted her on the backside as he walked by. He opened the fridge to grab a soda when he heard Bree say something quite unladylike.

"Seriously, Mandy, how the hell did the press find out where I live…or should I say where I used to live?" she questioned as she then started to giggle. "No, I'm sorry I shouldn't be laughing. Come on, cousin, you have to admit it is kind of funny."

Johnny found himself leaning against the counter once again and listening to a lopsided conversation. From what Bree was saying the press somehow got a hold of her old address and was camped out front of the house. He couldn't wait for Bree to get off the phone to hear the story.

Bree finished the phone call and hung up. Turning around, she caught Johnny's eye and immediately broke out in a fit of giggles. He patiently waited until she was done giggling before he asked what happened.

"Spill the beans, girl. From what I gathered from your side of the conversation, the press found out where you used to live."

"Oh wow, Johnny," she said as she caught her breath. "Mandy is fit to be tied. It seems that once the second article in People Magazine hit the newsstands, the press has been hounding the phone lines at Rampart. Brackett finally had to threaten a lawsuit against three of the bigger papers in order for it to stop."

"Are you kidding me?" he questioned.

"Nope and then on top of that, someone at the hospital inadvertently gave my address to someone claiming to be my aunt in Alaska." Seeing the look on his face, she cut him off before he could say anything. "No, it was not male. But I am thinking that it might be the reporter who printed the article about me and my alter ego, Bree Montgomery."

"I can see Mandy now standing on the front porch of the house with a shotgun in her hand, peppering the reporters with buckshot," he stated as he started laughing at the picture in his mind of Bree's cousin with a gun in hand. "Those reporters wouldn't stand a chance."

She started laughing right along with Johnny as the picture of her model-perfect cousin with a gun in her hand was ludicrous. She knew Mandy hated guns even though she grew up around them as her dad was an avid hunter and he also worked for the Denali National Park in Alaska.

"Okay, funny boy, if you are done laughing at my cousin you can help me with cleaning the vegetables and putting together salads for tomorrow."

Johnny looked at Bree with a 'You are joking' look upon his face. Bree just smiled at him and pointed to the grocery bags left sitting on the counter. Knowing he had just been drafted, he grabbed a knife, cutting board and set up shop next to the sink.

For the next two and a half hours, the couple worked side by side…Johnny chopping the vegetables and Bree finished up the salads she had planned for the party. She then took the steaks out, placing them in two large plastic containers.

She then grabbed an onion, two cloves of garlic and numerous spices from the cupboard. Opening the fridge, she then grabbed a bottle of soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice and mustard. Johnny quit pulling the cauliflower apart and proceeded to watch her mixing a marinating sauce for the steaks.

Once the marinade was completed, she poured half of the bowl into each container, sealing the containers and placing them in the fridge. Johnny quickly went back to the cauliflower before she turned around. Bree smiled as she knew he had watched her make the marinade for the steaks.

After the pre-party preparations were done, they retired to the patio and spent the rest of the afternoon and most of the evening relaxing and/or talking about things that Johnny wanted to do with the ranch. In his usual way, Johnny talked on and on about the horses he remembered as a kid in Montana and how he wanted to have a few of his own, maybe even try his hand at breeding them. Bree just smiled as she leaned against him laying her head on his shoulder.

He wound down his conversation as he realized she had once again fall asleep on him. Carefully, he turned placing his arms around her and picked her up. She stirred a bit before relaxing back against him. Holding her tight against him, he slid the screen door on the patio door open with his foot.

He gently laid her down on the bed, leaving long enough to shut the door on the patio, check to make sure everything was locked and the lights shut off. Upon walking back into the bedroom, he saw Bree lying on her side, propped up by one arm. She glanced up at him in the doorway and beckoned with her finger.

That's all it took. He bounded into the room, shucked his jeans off and joined her. As he captured her lips with his, he thought life couldn't get any better than this.

_He watched from the thicket as the sun rose that morning. Today was the birthday party for 'fire boy'. He had been out here in the thicket one afternoon listening at she talked to her cousin about her plans for the birthday party. How thick can she be? The guy was commitment phobic. From what he heard when the others joked around about him, his door was revolving and the women never stuck around long._

_Shaking his head to get the thoughts to dislodge, he settled in for long and patient wait for the festivities to get underway. He wished she would just realize what type of an individual this guy was. 'Fire boy' was only going to break her heart. It was up to him to save her from herself and her bad decisions. _

_Even though he wanted to whisk her away immediately, he knew it would only cause her to hate him. Time was on his side and that time was within sight. He chortled as the thought of what awaited his rival sent the adrenaline flowing through his veins. The events he was ready to set in motion only needed the perfect time. He had found the place, had everything in place. All he needed was the time for it to happen and that was soon._

_He heard the patio door open and smiled as he watched the object of his desire step out on to the patio. Her hair was disheveled but he felt she looked beautiful. The sun had chosen that particular moment to slip through the tree branches and illuminated her. He gasped as she turned her face partially and her profile was lit up. As he regained control of his breath, he saw _him_ step out onto the patio, placing his arm around her waist._

_The anger began to well up inside him, threatening to spill out. He took a deep breath to bring his emotions under control only to find them ready to break loose as she turned her face up to him for a kiss. He never felt the fingernails digging into his palms causing them to bleed. Thankfully for the couple, they chose to move back inside which gave him the opportunity to bring his emotions back into his control. He decided it was time to take a long walk before the party begins so he could meditate and rein in his errant emotions. Patience, he kept telling himself, patience._

"Good Morning, sunshine," Johnny said to Bree as he leaned down for a kiss. "Come back inside. Coffee is ready."

"I could sure use a cup of that now," she stated as she followed him back inside. As she entered the kitchen she noticed he had started breakfast too.

"Johnny, do you realize that it's your birthday and I should have made you breakfast?" she stated looking a little sheepish when she realized it should have been her making him breakfast, not the other way around.

"It was my pleasure to make you breakfast. Besides, for what I know is coming later today, it's the least I could do to make your day easier," he stated. "I saw the guest list. What did you do…invite half of the LA County Fire Department?"

Bree felt a blush rising up her cheeks and smiled at him. "No, but I asked Roy where you worked before you joined Station 51. He told me about Station 10 and helped me find some of the guys you used to work with. Unfortunately, a majority of them are working today and unable to make it. But I was able to get a hold of Gil Robinson whom Roy said you went to high school with and trained as a paramedic."

"You've been a very busy girl, haven't you?" he asked as he placed an omelet in front of her.

"I just wanted everyone who has been an important part of your life to come help celebrate this day," she replied. "Rose plans on coming and I hope you don't mind but I asked her to stay a couple of extra days. It's been a while since we visited."

"Of course, I don't mind. She's my aunt after all and helped raise me. Now come on and dig in. If I remember correctly, eggs do not taste good cold."

A quick shower after breakfast and Bree was off and running. She basically kicked Johnny out of the house and told him to go play in the barn. Once he was out of her hair, she called Roy and Joanne to see when they would be coming out. Roy said Jo had gone to the market to pick up the birthday cakes and as soon as she returned they would be on their way out to the ranch.

Next, she called Dixie and was informed that she and Dr. Early would be joining them at noon but that Dr. Brackett wouldn't be able to make it until around 3 p.m. Dixie also told her that they would be bringing the gift that Joe, Kel, Dixie and Mike had chipped in on for Johnny. Hanging up, she checked on the marinating steaks and stirred up the salads.

Out in the barn, Johnny located the cat that decided to make the ranch her home. She had given birth to a litter of kittens a few weeks earlier. Standing in the tack room, he chuckled as he felt the mother cat wind her way around his ankles purring loudly. He reached down and picked her up. She rubbed her whiskers against his face before pushing against him as an indication to put back on the ground.

He followed her to the corner of the tack room where he had set up a bed for her and the kittens under the bench out of sight. Kneeling down, he kept up a running conversation to the mother cat as if she understood him. The kittens now had their eyes open and were exploring their home. He knew the kids would enjoy seeing the kittens but thought he had better remind them first not to pick up the kittens or to try to touch them as the mother was still very protective of them.

He stood in the middle of the tack room and closed his eyes. In his mind's eye he was envisioning a room that smelled of leather with saddles on the holders made especially for them. He opened his eyes and smiled as he glanced around the room as his vision of a full room stayed with him. As he walked back into the main part of the barn, he looked at all the empty stalls and hoped one day he would have his horses back around him.

The mama cat had followed him and was weaving her way around his ankles. He leaned down to give a few more soft strokes to mama cat and wondered how she would feel about the dog he wanted to have also. He chuckled softly at that thought and headed back outside wondering if it was safe to go back in the house.

He could see Bree in the kitchen walking back and forth with the phone attached to her ear and gesturing with her hands in a very animated way. Figuring he had better save whomever she had a hold of on the phone, he closed the door to the barn and headed towards the house.

Entering the home through the patio, he failed to notice another person who had shown up…until Bree tapped him across the back of his head with the phone and pointed behind him.

"Happy birthday, nephew," said Rosemary.

"Aunt Rose," exclaimed Johnny as he grabbed her in a bear hug and swung her off the ground. "When did you arrive?"

"A few minutes ago," replied Rose. "Bree seems to be having a very animated conversation with someone on the phone who I gather is a relative of hers. Neither of them sound too impressed with something that is going on."

He glanced back at Bree who was still in a very animated conversation with Mandy and wondered if it had anything to do with the reporters who had camped out in the neighborhood.

"I think I have a pretty good idea of what has her goat…" he started to say.

"Does it have anything to do with an article in People Magazine?" asked his aunt as she waved that very magazine under his nose.

"You too?" he queried as his aunt laughed at the look upon his face. "She thought she was doing something good by finally telling her story as to why she left the business as abruptly as she did. But now she is beginning to wonder if that was a good idea."

"Johnny, it was a good idea. After that LA reporter threw the challenge out to the public and her fans to find out if she really was in LA and singing again, what choice did she have? She had to do it," said Rose.

Bree hung up the phone and just stared at it. Could anything make this day funnier, she thought. She felt rather than heard Johnny come up behind her. Both Johnny and Rose sensed something was up just by Bree's body language. As she turned to face them, Bree suddenly came down with a case of giggles that she couldn't hold back.

Rose glanced over at Johnny beside her who had just as much a puzzled look on his face as she did. They glanced back to Bree who just stood there and laughed, thinking about her cousin and the predicament she was finding herself in.

Mandy stood there and just stared at the phone in her hand. She couldn't believe her cousin just hung up on her. Sierra was standing in the playpen looking at her 'auntie' and giggling as she pulled back and forth on the rail. She glanced down at the happy child and smiled.

"Your mommy has no idea what a zoo it is outside this house, girl," said Mandy as she knelt by the playpen.

"Mmmaaaammmaa" was the only reply she received from the child.

"I agree. Well, your 'uncle' Marco is not going to be pleased when he comes to pick us up. That mob has pretty much blocked the driveway."

Standing up, Mandy wondered just how he was going to get through the hordes of reporters hovering in the street outside her home. She pulled the curtains back a ways and jumped as the flashbulbs started going off once again. If I ever catch who gave out this address, she thought, they are going to wish they were never born.

Thinking back, Mandy realized that neither one of them had thought about the ramifications of what could happen when Bree agreed to be interviewed for People Magazine then also decided to return to the world of music. This probably wouldn't have been so drastic, she thought, had that reporter for the LA Time Variety Page hadn't started offered that stupid challenge of _'Is she or isn't she?'_ in her column. Combine the second part of her story with the article for People Magazine and the entertainment community went nuts.

Peeking through the curtains once more, she spotted Marco's truck slowly pushing its way through the crowd. She had called him the night before and warned him of the photographers milling about the house. Of course, he had immediately offered to come over and help get rid of the pests. She smiled as she remembered telling him it wasn't necessary as one of the neighbors had already called the police on them.

When the first set of idiots showed up, Mrs. Van Mueller was out on her front porch shouting at them to quit trampling her flowers. That did not seem to faze a single reporter or photographer, so the woman called the Torrance Police Department…and from the speedy arrival of the squad car, must have pulled some strings to get them to move that fast.

A small giggle escaped her lips which was soon followed by another. Mandy turned to walk back to the living room where she could hear Sierra trying to mock her giggles. By the time she had reached the child, she was laughing. Finally she was seeing the humor in the situation. She pictured herself on their front porch only instead of yelling at the paparazzi, she had a shotgun in her hand, set to go all backwoods and 'Deliverance' on them.

'_Buenos Dios!'_ thought Marco as he slowly maneuvered his way through the maddening crowd. No wonder Mandy sounded like she was losing her mind. Finally he reached the driveway and pulled up to the garage door. When he exited the vehicle, the hordes of reporters began to shout questions at him. Keep moving, he told himself, keep moving. Instead going through the front door, he skirted around the garage and snuck in through the backyard.

He approached the doors the patio and was greeted by a pretty sight…Mandy dancing in the living room with Sierra. She had no clue he was watching them and seemed to finally be relaxing in spite of the crowd outside her house. He reached up and tapped the window before he opened the patio doors.

"Now I know why you sounded upset when you called last night. There is a bunch of _loco gente_ in your front yard," he stated as he entered the house. "Everything ready to go?"

"Yes. I have Sierra's bag all packed. Her car seat is by the island," Mandy replied. "I just want to get out of here."

"Can't understand why you would want to do that. It seems like you have everything you could need here including an adoring public just waiting for your presence outside your home," Marco stated with a straight face.

Mandy glanced at him with a look of total dismay and exclaimed sarcastically, "Are you kidding me?! I cannot believe you just said that and with a straight face!"

"Come on, _chica_, let's get out of here," he said laughingly as he picked up the car seat and Sierra's bag. He noticed that Mandy also had a bag slung on her shoulder too and wondered if she was planning to staying out at Johnny and Bree's for the duration.

Before they rounded the corner of the garage, Mandy threw a blanket over Sierra so the paparazzi couldn't get a clear picture of her. The child thought it was a game and tried to take it off. Marco told Mandy to stay beside the garage until he got the car seat in place, then she ran for the vehicle and jump in.

Dana watched from the sidelines as the scene unfolded before her. She smiled as this was working all too well. Her assistant was the one who called Rampart to get Bree's actual address by pretending to be her aunt from Alaska. In a way she kind of felt sorry for the poor individual who was dense enough to believe that story and actually gave out the address. The next step had been to 'inadvertently' let the address slip to some colleagues who she knew wouldn't keep the news to themselves…thus the crowd on Northridge Drive.

Tony, her photographer, touched her shoulder to let her know that the couple were getting to the car and making ready to leave. She had already figured out that Bree Montgomery was no longer in this house but had no idea where she had moved to or who with. The People article never mentioned who this firefighter Bree had been seen with was and anyone Dana had talked to within the LA County Fire Department had closed ranks on her, effectively shutting her out.

"Come on. Let's make sure we don't miss following them," she said as they sprinted for the car.

They waited until the car drove by them and slowly pulled out. Tony knew enough from working with Dana and 'stalking' (as he thought of it) celebrities that when you follow them, keep enough distance and always memorize the type of vehicle they are driving.

As he turned the corner, Marco keep an eye on the rearview mirror, hoping he wouldn't find any of those 'nuts' following them. Mandy sat in the backseat to keep Sierra occupied and ready to throw a blanket over the child should any of the paparazzi actually come after them. He breathed a sigh of relief when he noticed no crazy drivers trying to catch up with them.

"So far no one is on our tail, _chica_," he said as he glanced at her through the rearview mirror. "I think we are in the clear."

"I hope so," she replied. "I would hate for the horde to follow us out to the ranch and ruin Johnny's birthday party." She tickled Sierra's tummy and said, "That just wouldn't be good for your daddy, would it, sweetheart?"

The dark-haired child giggled and cooed at Mandy as she tried to grab the hair that was swinging just slightly out of her reach. "Maaaa," was her reply.

When she had finally finished giggling, Johnny told her that she needed to fill Rose in on what was going on. He then left the two women to their own devices as he had heard a vehicle coming up the driveway. Shaking his head as he listened to the two of them laughing about what Bree was telling her, he headed outside to meet up with the first of many guests.

He spotted Roy's car first and right behind him was Captain Stanley. The third vehicle he wasn't too sure about and hoped it wasn't one of those newspaper reporters hoping to find Bree.

After Roy brought the car to a stop, Johnny reached down and opened the passenger door, putting his hand out to help Joanne alight from the front seat.

"How are you feeling, Jo?" he asked.

"Much better and thanks for asking, Johnny," she replied at she reached up to give him a hug. "Happy Birthday, Johnny."

A chorus of the Happy Birthday song came roaring out of the backseat as Chris and Jennifer flew out to greet him. Johnny laughed, feeling a blush slide up his cheeks. He wasn't always comfortable with all this attention.

"Sorry about that, Junior. There was just no containing them once we turned down your driveway," stated Roy.

"That's alright. Besides isn't this what birthdays are all about, right, kids?"

"Happy Birthday, Johnny," said Gil as he walked up to the group.

"Gil, I was wondering whose car that was behind Captain Stanley's. It's good to see you and thanks," exclaimed Johnny. "Glad you could make it."

"So am I," Gil replied. "I was really surprised to hear from your girlfriend. When she explained about the party, I said that I would definitely be there."

"Come on, everybody," said Johnny. "Let's get inside and start up this party."

He made a motion for the group to head into the house. Gil held the door open for the ladies and was waiting for Johnny. Both heard another vehicle heading up the driveway and turned to see who joining them now. Two more vehicles were making their way towards the house.

Johnny recognized Chet's VW bus and the car behind him was Marco. He told Gil to go ahead and catch up with the rest while he went to greet the other arrivals. Chet followed the pattern of the other cars that had parked on the oval drive that crossed around the front of the house and reconnected with the driveway. Smart, he thought, as he put the VW in park and got out.

He joined Johnny next to Marco's vehicle and couldn't help but chuckle as he spotted Johnny's daughter giving Mandy a hard time as she wanted out of her car seat but wouldn't sit still so Mandy could get the straps hooked. Johnny took pity on Mandy and opened the door on the other side and held Sierra's hands so she could get the straps loosened up.

"Maaamaaaa," stated Sierra as her daddy lifted her out of her car seat.

"Do you think you could try saying daddy just once?" he questioned as he cuddled her next to him. He winced as he felt her firmly grab the hair on the back of his neck, reaching up to gently remove her fingers from his hair. "Did this little imp of mine behave herself?"

"Of course, she did," replied Mandy. "You were a little sweetheart the whole time, weren't you, baby?"

Sierra squealed with delight when Mandy tickled her tummy. Chet grabbed the bags for Mandy from the backseat and followed the group inside. Johnny was practically run over by Alyssa and Cassie, Captain Stanley's daughters, as they raced to take Sierra from him and play with her. He glanced over the tops of the girls' heads and caught Bree's smiling eyes staring at the scene before her.

He watched as Bree followed Mandy down the hall to the bedrooms. He barely noticed Sierra slipping out of his fingers and into Alyssa's arms. Gil had approached him and smirked as his friend hadn't even noticed that he had joined him.

"Boy, you have really got it bad," stated Gil, chuckling at the expression on Johnny's face.

"Shut up, Gil," retorted Johnny when he realized he'd been caught gawking at his girlfriend. "Let's go join the others outside, wise guy."

While Johnny and Gil joined the others on the patio, Bree and Mandy were inside Sierra's room. Upon entering the house, Mandy had motioned Bree to follow her down the hall. She put Sierra's belongings on the changing table and turned to Bree.

"Something is going to have to be done about those reporters, Bree. "They are disrupting the whole neighborhood and I'm just waiting for the neighbors to ask me to move out."

"It can't be that bad, can it?" she asked.

"Yes, it is. So far they have managed to trample Mrs. Van Mueller's flower beds by the sidewalk. They have blocked two other neighbors' driveways," explained Mandy. "The only thing they haven't done is camped out in the front yard."

"Mandy, I am so sorry about this. I wish I knew how they got a hold of my old address," sighed Bree as she quit putting away her daughter's clothes and turned to look at her cousin. "I'm wondering if this is all because of the interview I did for People Magazine instead of working with the local press."

"I highly doubt that, cousin. This whole mess started with that article in the LA Times Variety Section and has taken off from there. The choice to remain anonymous was pretty much taken from your hands when you started performing at Red Wolf and the second article was written in The Times."

"I know but…" Bree started to say.

She interrupted her cousin as she knew exactly what she was going to say next. "Don't even go there. We both know you have been itching to get back to performing. Have you talked to Johnny about it?"

Gil chuckled even harder at Johnny's reaction when he saw all the balloons on the patio, tied to the corral, the handle of the barn door. Joann and Emily had been busy with the kids and made it more festive looking as Jennifer thought her uncle needed birthday balloons otherwise it wasn't a party.

Once again the kids had found the playground set in the yard and were having fun. The two older girls had placed a blanket down and were amusing Sierra on it, who in turn kept them on their toes with her crawling skills.

Motioning to Gil to go join the guys, Johnny grabbed a couple of beers and handed one to Gil when he caught up with them. Joanne was sitting on the lounger, relaxing with her eyes closed. Catching Roy's attention, he raised an eyebrow as he pointed at Jo. Roy mouthed that she was still feeling a few aftereffects of the accident.

Emily had taken over the kitchen after she made sure that Joanne was settled on the lounger. She could hear Bree and her cousin coming down the hall and hoped that Bree wouldn't mind that she started getting things ready for dinner. Her husband, Hank, was already firing up the grill, getting it ready for the steaks and hamburgers.

She smiled tentatively at the girls when they entered the area, then laughed as Bree grabbed her for a big hug and thank you for getting things started. A flurry of activity took over as the three women proceeded to mix salads, stir up Kool-Aid for the kids, and removing the steaks and burgers from the fridge.

Outside, Dixie and Joe Early had pulled up and wondered about the gift in the trunk of Joe's car. Dixie kept telling him it would be fine where it was at and not to worry about it anymore. Bree hugged Dixie when she entered the kitchen then told her to join the others on the patio and she would join her shortly. About the time Dixie was going to head outside, Joe popped his head in and said that Hank was ready for the steaks and burgers. Dixie turned, grabbed the platter off the counter and followed Joe outside.

_He watched them from the thicket once more. This group of close-knit friends was going to be in for a surprise soon, he thought, they are never going to know what hit them. He noticed the new guy in the group and wondered where he came from, but then thought 'Who cares?' He kept an eye on 'fire boy' as he talked with his hands flying through the air. With the noise of the children nearby, he couldn't hear what was being said. It didn't matter…all the mattered was in a few days his rival will be no longer and she will be his. He giggled and leaned back against the tree to watch the festivities._

Dana and Tony had followed Marco's vehicle almost all the way out there. They got caught in heavy traffic and lost sight of them. Stopping to fill up with gas, Dana noticed a familiar face at the stop sign across from the gas station. She recognized the van as being the one that belonged to Bree's backup band, Dakota Dreaming. She shouted at Tony to hurry up and pay for the gas as she kept an eye on which direction the car was heading.

The pair jumped in their van and raced in the direction of the band's van. She giggled at her good luck in noticing the vehicle belonging to Bree's band. It wasn't long before they spotted them, slowing down as to not be too obvious what they were doing. When the band's vehicle turned down the driveway to Johnny's ranch, Dana quickly wrote down the name and address from the mailbox as they drove by.

"Head back to LA, Tony," she said as she relaxed back in her seat.

"What?!" exclaimed Tony. "Why?"

"Because there were a lot of cars in the driveway, meaning there's a happening going on. When I ambush her, I don't want a lot of witnesses especially those that will rally around to protect her," stated Dana. "I'm still pissed off at her for scooping me and giving that interview to People."

Tony shook his head and headed back towards the city. One of these days someone is going to let Dana have it over her methods towards getting interviews or 'scoops' on celebrities.

Dinner turned out to be a relaxing time for all, except maybe the kids. Once they were done with their meals, they were back playing tag in the yard, around the house and even through the barn.

Chet discovered a kindred spirit in Jeremy when he found out he was as much as prankster as himself… that is until Jeremy told him who he learned it from…Bree. He couldn't help but laugh at the expression on Chet's face. Soon the two were exchanging prank stories and laughing until their stomachs hurt. Everyone around them had just as much fun listening to those stories especially the ones Jeremy was retelling about Bree's escapades as the tour bus phantom.

The ladies had just finished up with the dishes and were chatting in the kitchen. Bree glanced up at the clock on the wall and realized in less than twenty minutes her surprise for Johnny... actually the group's surprise for Johnny would be showing up. Excusing herself, Bree popped her head out the door and looked for someone who could help her keep Johnny occupied.

"Gil," she shouted out the patio door. "Could you come here for a moment?"

Gil looked at Johnny with a puzzled look that said "Me?" Johnny laughed at him and said better go see what she wants or she would draft him.

"What can I do for you?" he asked as he followed her back into the house.

"Within the next twenty minutes, Johnny's surprise will be arriving and I need a volunteer to keep him out in the barn," she whispered. Seeing the confusion on his face, she smiled and in just above a whisper told him about the delivery, "I have a trailer arriving with something very special for Johnny on his birthday. I am not going to tell you anymore just that it will knock him off his feet."

"A tour of the barn, you say? That shouldn't be too hard as I haven't really had a tour of it," stated Gil. "How soon do you want me to ask for a tour?"

"As soon as I see the trailer pulling in the driveway, now go," she giggled as she pushed him back out the door.

Just after she asked Gil to help her occupy Johnny, the girls brought Sierra back in and handed her back to Bree stating that the Chris and Jennifer wanted to go play on the play set in the yard. Bree cuddled her daughter noticing that she needed a diaper change. Taking the little girl into the bedroom, she placed her on the changing table and grabbed a diaper. No sooner had she gotten the diaper off her daughter, Jo came running into the bedroom and said the trailer just pulled into the driveway. She took over the diaper detail while Bree headed for the front door.

Gil had been warned by a wave from Jo that the trailer was coming up the driveway. He glanced over at Johnny and abruptly asked him for a tour of the barn, stating it was the only part of Johnny's place he hadn't seen. Getting up, he motioned for Gill to follow him and then stated if anyone else wanted to join them they could.

Running out the front door, Bree noticed that coming in behind the trailer was Mike and Dr. Brackett. As Mike got out of the car, she motioned to him to grab the doctor and head around to the back of the house. Linda had been told what time the surprise was at should they be able to make it later in the day. So she knew what Bree had up her sleeve and told Mike that she needed their help if and when they could make got there. As her husband and the doctor followed the trailer around to the back of the house, she followed Bree back inside to see what else she could do.

Johnny had been a little more than surprised when Gil asked him for a tour of the barn as Gil had always been more of a city boy at heart, but as he seemed genuinely interested he took him for a tour.

Roy, Joe Early, Captain Stanley, Chet and Marco decided to follow them even though they had already seen the barn before. He was beginning to feel suspicious that something was up that he didn't know about.

About halfway through Gil's tour, Mike and Dr. Brackett joined them in the tack room. He hadn't noticed them right away as he had been talking about the types of saddles he was looking for and how many horses he was hoping to start out with. Motioning for the gang to follow him back to the main part of the barn, he was mildly startled as Mike and Kel were standing directly behind him.

"When did you all arrive?" he asked with a smile.

"Just now," said Mike. "We got told by the women in the house that we needed to immediately come out here."

Kel looked at Johnny and stated, "I don't know what she is up to but your girlfriend was giving orders like a general and wouldn't take any guff…just pointed to the barn and turned her back on me."

Johnny and Roy both glanced at Kel then over to Mike before they started laughing. Kel still looked disgruntled as he wasn't used to be treated like that when Bree ordered him to join the rest of the gang in the barn.

Outside the barn, Bree helped the rancher unload her surprise for Johnny. A week after her reconciliation with Johnny, he had mentioned to her how he couldn't wait until he had enough money to purchase some horses as he missed riding and working with them. He told her about the two paints he had when he lived in Montana and how much he missed working with them.

Bree had called, Henry McNamara, a local rancher whom her grandparents had known. Henry had been happy to hear from her and asked what he could do for her. She said she was wondering if he was still raising American Paints and when he said yes, she asked if he had any for sale. . Henry stated he had a 2-year-old gelding, a 4-year-old gelding plus a mare and her foal for sale. Bree asked if the 4-year-old and mare were broke for riding and Henry told her they were and that they had just started training on the gelding. Bree dickered with Henry on cost and asked him if he could deliver the four horses on August 28 as that was Johnny's birthday. Henry told he that there would be no problem.

Back inside the barn, Johnny could hear Bree calling to him and wondered what she needed. As he stepped out of the barn, he couldn't hide the surprised expression on his face or the awe when he saw Bree standing with the most beautiful sight he could ever imagine.

"What?" was all he could say as he slowly walked towards Bree and the horses, after a push from behind by Roy. As he walked up to the geldings, he couldn't stop the tears in his eyes. The 4-year-old gelding sensed his new owner was the one in front of him pushed his nose against his shoulder to gain his attention. Johnny softly caressed the horse's nose as he glanced at Bree who was still holding the halter of the other gelding. He ran his hands over the animal's withers and shoulders. He could feel the strength in the horse's muscles beneath his hands.

Walking back to the front of the horse, he looked again at Bree and said, "How?"

Smiling at the pleasure she saw in his eyes, she replied, "Because I wanted to and I can." She motioned for Henry to come over and she introduced him to Johnny. "Johnny, I would like you to meet Henry McNamara, an old friend of the family. He is the one who raises these animals and he is the only one in this area that I would trust to purchase a horse from."

Johnny put out his hand and as they shook, he said, "It is nice to meet you, sir. I can't believe that she pulled this off without me finding out about it."

"She always was a good one for keeping secrets and springing surprises on those she loves, young man."

Henry walked with Johnny as he checked them out. He told Johnny all the information on both paints and let him know that their vaccinations were up to date. As he looked over the younger gelding, Henry handed him a packet of papers containing all their veterinary records, registration papers, etc. He helped Johnny put the two geldings into the larger pen and laughed as the pair kicked their heels up in joy for finally getting out of the trailer.

While all this was happening, the rest of the crew of Station 51 and their families stood by the barn and watched the joy in Johnny's face as the final part of his dream came true. Joanne had come from the house with Sierra in her arms and as she walked up to Roy, he simply pulled her close to him.

"I can't believe she actually got away with this surprise," exclaimed Joanne.

"I think we all are surprised. She knew this was the final part to his dream of having a ranch and horses and knew this was what she wanted to give him. What she doesn't realize is that she had already given him the major part of his dream, a family of his own."

Turning to Bree, Johnny put his hand out and as she put her hand into his, he pulled her into his embrace and for a few seconds allowed his tears to flow on to her shoulder. He couldn't believe she had done this for him.

"Johnny?" asked Bree.

He release her just enough to look down at her. "What is it, sweetheart?"

"I'm not done with your surprise yet. There's more."

He looked at her, trying to figure out how much more there could be. He had everything he ever really dreamed of…a ranch, a family and now his horses. He didn't see Bree motion to Henry from behind her back.

Henry walked around the other side of the trailer with the paint mare and foal. Johnny felt like his knees were going to buckle and clung to Bree with his mouth wide open. He couldn't believe what he saw walking towards him. Bree could feel his grasp on her fingers tightened and wondered if she had gone too far with her gift as she asked, "Is this too much, Johnny? Did I overstep the boundaries?"

"Oh my god, no, sweetheart, you didn't do anything wrong. I just can't believe you did all this without me not knowing."

"I think you would have figured it out by now…if anything, I am good with secrets," replied Bree. "I used to have one of Henry's paints when I was a child. I missed my horse. So when you told me about your dream of having horses again, I called him up."

Once the mare and foal were safely in the other paddock, Bree escorted Henry back to his trailer. She had already paid him before he arrived as she didn't feel the need to conduct the business end of their transaction while Johnny's friends were present. As she walked back to the group, Johnny grabbed her and swung her around. He still found it hard to believe she had brought his dream to life in more ways than one.

While he was trying to make her dizzy, Kel, Joe, Roy and Mike had gone back to the vehicles to get their gifts for Johnny. Bree had approached Johnny's friends to tell them of her plan for Johnny's gift. They had all been in agreement in what they wanted to give him and it worked right in with hers.

"Johnny, stop! I'm getting dizzy," cried Bree.

Johnny came to a slow stop and pulled Bree against him so she could get her equilibrium under control. He bent down towards her ear and whispered something that set her giggling.

Gil leaned against the fence and watched the interaction between his high school friend and the love of his life. Dixie sidled up next to him, smiling too at the young couple.

"What has you so introspective, Gil?" she asked.

"Not introspective, Dixie, as much as retrospective," he replied. "I remember when I met Johnny for the first time. I saw this gangly kid walk in for the track and field tryouts and thought to myself this kid doesn't have the stamina to run track. He proved us all wrong, could've knocked us over with a feather."

"He does have the knack for fooling us all," Dixie said with a giggle. "And as far as stamina, I think his trips to the ER have proved he definitely has that. How was he with the girls?"

Chuckling, Gil glances down at Dixie and states, "He loved the ladies but there never really was a special one in high school. He seemed to keep a bit of himself hidden from the girls and they would get bored. But this one…she's different."

_His anger simmered slowly beneath the surface as he watched 'fire boy' get close to her. He couldn't believe it when he saw what she gave him for his birthday. How could she even think he was worth a gift like that? Horses! The more he thought about it, the angrier he got. He had to slap his hands over his mouth as he came so close to screaming out loud._

_He knew now that his plan which would take place in a few days was going to be worth it. The more he waited, the deeper she would be in with his rival. As he went over his plan in his mind, he could hear in the background someone singing 'Happy Birthday'. Kneeling closer to the edge of the thicket, he spotted four of 'fire boy's' friends rounding the corner of the house carrying two saddles. They are just as stupid as she is, he thought._

Johnny looked at Roy, Joe, Kel and Mike with astonishment all over his face when he saw what they were carrying. The rest of the group had joined them near the barn door and had been helping sing 'Happy Birthday' to him.

"I don't know what to say," stated Johnny as he felt overwhelmed with emotion. "All of this was so unexpected…the gifts I mean. How did you all know?"

"When Bree told us what she had planned, we all got together and decided that this is what you need to go along with her gift," replied Roy. "I think it's the best surprise we've pulled on you yet."

"I won't deny that it is, Roy," said Johnny. He turned to Bree, "And you, missy. I think you have given me enough to last a lifetime."

_Feeling nauseated at all he was witnessing, he made the decision to leave. As it was, he needed to get things in order for his final surprise, the one that involved 'fire boy' and the station he worked at._

_Making sure that he left no trace of his presence behind, he quietly slipped through the opening in the back of thicket that led him to the trail that would bring him far beyond the border of the property and keep him hidden from view._

_As he drove away from the ranch, his thoughts were of his hideaway hidden far from prying eyes. He chuckled to himself as he pictured her there and all the wonderful things he had planned for their future life together…void of 'fire boy' and the child. Soon his life would be what he had always wanted it to be._


	6. Chapter 6

Johnny swiftly parked his vehicle in the lot behind the station. As usual, he was the last one to arrive but this time he was not late. When he spotted Roy's car, he grinned as his partner managed to make it on time considering how late the time was when they got home last night. Both Joanne and Bree had given in on letting them go to an exhibition game under one condition…they got to go with.

Johnny's aunt stayed for the week after Johnny's birthday, stating that she wanted to spend time with her great-niece. When the subject of the game came up, Bree talked Rosemary into spending a little extra time with Sierra so she and Jo could join the guys at the game.

Whistling a happy little tune, Johnny entered the engine bay of Station 51. He could hear Marco and Chet having a heated discussion in the dayroom about last night's game. Shaking his head with laughter, he walked into the locker room to see what his partner was up to.

"Morning, Junior. So what's up with the happy whistling?" Roy asked when he glanced up to his partner entering.

"Just a happy day, Roy," replied Johnny as he hung up his clothes and began to change into his uniform. "It's Friday and I have a feeling it's gonna be a great day."

"Keep thinking that," stated Roy as he shut the locker door and leaned against it. "Got any plans for the long weekend?"

"Thinking of taking the girls camping in the San Gabriel National Park if Bree doesn't talk my aunt into staying for the weekend," said Johnny. "Or we might have to just hibernate at the ranch and have a quiet time to ourselves. What about you and the family?"

"Just working on that 'Honey-Do' list on the fridge," sighed Roy when he thought about the projects needing to be worked on at home.

Johnny chuckled at the expression on Roy's face when he mentioned Joanne's honey-do list. According to his partner, it was a never ending list. With just a few minutes to spare, the pair left the locker room to join their coworkers in the engine bay of the station for roll call.

As the guys lined up for inspection, Captain Stanley noticed that they were all in good spirits and hoped that this would continue throughout the day. Once roll had been taken, he handed out their duties for the day and talked about possibly practicing some drills in the afternoon should time allow.

Roy and Johnny did their morning check of the equipment on the squad before attending to the duties assigned to them. When they called Rampart to do a calibration check on the defibrillator, they could hear Dixie giggling in the background, wondering what had the ER head nurse in such a good mood. Shaking his head, Johnny signed off and put the equipment away.

Entering the dorm to take care of the beds, Johnny could hear Chet muttering to himself in the locker/shower room. Chet still was on latrine duty as punishment for powder bombing the captain and Mike instead of Johnny. He couldn't help but chuckle at some of the things Chet was commenting on under his breath in the locker room.

"What did you say, Cap?" asked Johnny as he tried not to giggle. "I'm sure Chet didn't say what you think you heard."

Chet's head popped around the edge of the lockers that were closest to the bathrooms, looking totally worried as he scanned the room for their captain. When all he saw was Gage, he threw the wet sponge at him.

"Damn you, Gage!" shouted Chet. "You trying to give me a heart attack?"

"Well, Kelly, you should have heard yourself," chortled Johnny as he picked up the sponge that landed by his feet. "If the Cap had walked in, you would probably be assigned latrine duty for the duration of your service here."

The two kept up their verbal sparring as they continued on with their assigned duties. Mike, who had just finished up in the engine bay, shook his head at the ongoing barrage of insults coming from the dorms and locker room. He entered the dayroom where Roy had also just finished cleaning and could see Johnny's partner laughing as he was also hearing the insults all the way into the dayroom.

"Do you think they will ever outgrow the insults?" asked Mike as he sat down at the table.

"Highly doubt it," replied Roy. "If that ever does happen, we all better be worried."

Marco chuckled in reply from the stove where he was whipping up a batch of chili for lunch. He couldn't agree more with Roy's assumption that if Johnny and Chet ever quit tormenting each other, it could only mean the world had come to an end. He grabbed a plate of assorted breads his mother had given him to bring to work, setting it down on the table in front of Mike and Roy.

"Grab what you like before those two make it in here or there will be nothing left," he said.

"What kinds did your mom send this time, Marco?" asked Mike.

"There's banana bread, pumpkin bread, sweet almond bread," he replied. "She said she added a couple of new ones in there but I can't remember what she said they were."

Both Mike and Roy snagged their favorites when they heard the twits still arguing as they walked across the engine bay. Marco had held back a couple of the captain's favorites for him as he knew he was on the phone with the chief.

Spotting the goodies on the table, Chet elbowed Johnny to the side and practically dove towards the table. Mike pushed his chair back out of the way to avoid getting tackled by the stocky Irishman. He shot Chet a dirty look for acting like an overgrown kid when it came to homemade breads by Marco's mom. Being tall enough, Johnny reached over Chet's head and snatched up two slices of pumpkin bread whisking them quickly out of reach.

"Could you two be anymore childish?" asked Captain Stanley as he watched their antics from the doorway. "You think you never got fed around here."

"Buf if…" started Johnny trying to talk around the slice he stuffed in his mouth.

"Drop it, Gage, especially when you have a mouthful," stated Hank as he approached the table.

Hank sat down and thanked Marco for the plate that was set in front of him. He eyeballed the 'twits', motioning with the tilt of his head for them to sit down. Chet and Johnny both sat down without saying another word. Roy pushed the milk carton towards Johnny, knowing his partner preferred that to coffee with his snacks.

"Don't forget to tell your mother just how much we really appreciate these treats she keeps sending us," he said as he bit into a slice of sweet almond bread. The guys around the table nodded their heads in agreement.

As the guys were being admonished for their childish behavior, Bree was spending her last day at Rampart feeling torn as she found she was going to miss working there more than she thought. She always felt the call to sing and perform but in the short time she had worked in the lab at the hospital, she found she also enjoyed the camaraderie of the people she spent time with.

Today, Jack had kept her in the lab, saying that she needed to finish up some of the research she was close to completing. She figured that maybe something was in the works for her last day but then chalked it up to wishful thinking as she knew she hadn't been here long enough for that type of goodbye. Putting the final touch on the research she had been working on, she shut the binder and put it on Jack's desk.

She was officially done at noon. She was surprised that no one had stuck around to say goodbye, but then she chuckled inwardly as lunch breaks usually were interrupted and given a chance you took one when it was quiet. Entering the employee locker room, it amazed her how much stuff she managed to accumulate in her locker even after six months on the job. Girl, you are a pack rat, she thought to herself as she shut the locker for the last time.

Jack was waiting for her in the hallway when she came out of the locker room.

"Didn't you go for lunch yet?" she asked her former supervisor.

"Not yet. I thought I would walk with you upstairs so it didn't seem so lonely," he replied. "As you have already figured out, most of your coworkers took advantage of the slow day and ran for lunch."

"You're right on that," stated Bree smiling. "I don't blame them either. I would have done the same."

The pair joked about some of the sillier things that had happened during Bree's short stay at Rampart. Jack always knew that she would go back to her roots and that working in the lab was just a stopover for the young singer. When Mandy had approached him about an applicant for the research assistant position, he was intrigued by the honesty that Mandy showed him. She admitted that her cousin didn't have a lot of experience working in a lab and had only a semester of classes completed. He was still willing to give the girl a chance and she didn't disappoint him.

Of course, the poor girl had to go through the whole interview process in person with Dr. Brackett being one of the interviewers. A lot of the applicants never made it past the perfectionist doctor and in fact most would admit afterwards that the man terrified them, but not so with Bree. She walked right into his office, answered every question truthfully and if she didn't know the answer, admitted it.

Jack held the door open to allow Bree into the ER first. He spotted Dixie by the nurses' station and nodded ever so slightly towards the head nurse. Bree turned to Jack and smiled up at him.

"Jack, I want to thank you for taking on a greenhorn as your assistant. I found it an eye-opening experience and a rewarding one too," she stated as she hugged him.

"My pleasure, Bree, and if you ever decided to leave the music business for good, you're always welcome back here."

Dixie walked up to the pair and linked her arm with Bree's. "How about you and I head over to the staff lounge for a cup of coffee?"

"I would love that, Dixie," said Bree as she tried to smile through the tears in her eyes.

Dixie grinned up at Jack (with Bree missing the whole exchange) and motioned for Bree to precede her. Jack stayed back by the nurses' station as he knew Bree would have figured out something was up if he followed the two women. Dixie stepped up to the door and pushed it open allowing Bree to step in.

"SURPRISE!" was all she heard as she jumped out of her skin. When she opened her eyes, all her coworkers from her shift were in the staff lounge. There were sandwiches, chips, sodas surrounding a cake in the middle that said 'We will miss you."

Bree sniffled and wiped the tear that was threatening to escape. She glanced at Dixie who was chuckling next to her.

"I really wasn't expecting this," she said. "I just figured I'd sneak out and life would go on as before."

"Did you really think we would let you go without so much as a goodbye?" questioned Mandy as she put her arm around her cousin's shoulders and steered her towards the table. "You may not have been here a long time but we wouldn't have done that to you."

Mandy shoved an empty plate into Bree's hands and told her to start the line. Everyone else fell into place behind her. Sitting down at the only open table, Bree talked and joked with her coworkers, answering all their questions that they never dared asked when she was working.

They were all laughing and giggling when Mandy and Bree told some of the stories of the pranks they played on tour. What they even found funnier was the fact that no one suspected Bree as the instigator of the pranks, but instead zeroed in on Mandy.

She smiled as she listened to Mandy tell them about one particular prank that almost went haywire and could have been disastrous. Watching this group of individuals that she had the pleasure of working with, she thought she couldn't have worked with a better team. When they first learned of her past and status as a singer, they were curious like anyone else but wouldn't ask the questions they wanted answers to. Bree decided to tell them an abbreviated version, leaving out her relationship with Johnny and once she had done that, they closed ranks on anyone who tried to dig up dirt on Bree Montgomery and if she truly was that person working in the lab.

Dixie popped up beside Bree and asked, "So just how surprised were you?"

"Very," she replied. "At first I thought that maybe something was in the works but then I thought of how quiet it had been and figured most took off and grabbed a lunch break that usually was interrupted for one reason or another."

"Mandy came up and asked if she could do this in the staff lounge up here as it would be too hard to pull it off on the cafeteria patio. It worked out perfect…"

Just then Dixie and everyone else heard Dixie being paged to return to the nurses' station in the ER. Standing up, she leaned over and hugged Bree really hard, whispering in her ear to not be a stranger. Bree whispered back that she wouldn't do that to Dixie.

The head nurse ran out of the lounge and headed to the ER. Shortly after her departure, the lab crew finished up and headed out too. Mandy started cleaning up the leftover food and bagged up the garbage for the custodian to pick up later.

"Come on, cousin, let's blow this place for the day."

"I thought you had to work tonight?" questioned Bree.

"I do but I figured we could go do a little shopping or something before my shift starts," replied Mandy as she followed her cousin out of the lounge.

Dixie walked briskly into Treatment Room 3 to find Johnny trying to calm down a young child who wanted no one but his mommy. She had seen the mother outside of the room talking with Roy.

"What have we here, Johnny?" she asked the paramedic as she pulled a stool alongside the gurney.

"Dixie, I would like you to meet Peter," stated Johnny as he glanced over at the boy next to him. "Peter, that pretty lady sitting on the other side of you is Dixie and she is the best nurse here at Rampart."

"Johnny, Dr. Early will be in shortly," said Dixie to the paramedic without taking her eyes off the child. "Can you tell me what happened to him?"

"It seems Peter was trying to keep up with his older brother. The older boys decided to climb a chain link fence and when Peter tried to follow over the top, his foot slipped and he came down on the barbed top of the fence."

Dixie smiled at Peter and said she just wanted to look at his injury and that she wouldn't touch it. The child complied and raised his arm, showing a gaping wound on the underside of his upper arm. The barbed section of the fence had penetrated pretty deep with the fatty part of the boy's underarm hanging out through the wound.

She had Peter lower his arm back down once she gently wrapped the cloth back around to keep it covered. Smiling at the child, she ruffled his hair and said that a really nice doctor was going to come in and they would fix him up.

No sooner had Dixie told Peter about Dr. Early, he walked into the room. Joe had a wonderful way with children and their panicked parents. He sat on the stool that Dixie had vacated so it put him at the same eye level as the boy. He talked with him for a bit and listened while the boy talked about his older brother and how he wished he could do the same things that he does. Joe chuckled and told him that there was plenty of time for that.

Seeing that he was no longer needed, Johnny left the treatment room. Turning around to see where his partner disappeared to, he spotted him at the nurses' station talking to Bree and Mandy. Knowing it was Bree's last day, he sprinted over to talk to her. He never saw Traci who had just left Treatment Room 1 and had been smiling at him when she thought he was looking at her.

She seethed with an inner rage as she watched him pick up the blonde and swing her around. She couldn't believe the luck that the twit had when it came to the press. Bree had pulled the rug out from under Traci's feet by giving an all-inclusive interview to People Magazine right after Traci had leaked details to the reporter from the LA Times as to exactly where the missing country singer was working.

Traci couldn't stand watching the couple any longer. She whipped around and headed for the cafeteria to have an early lunch.

"Johnny, please put me down," giggled Bree. "You are making me dizzy. Not to mention everyone is staring at us."

"Who cares!" he exclaimed as he kissed the end of her nose. "It's a wonderful day. The sun is shining and not even Chet could ruin my day."

"Roy, what have you been feeding him?" Bree asked the blonde paramedic as she struggled to get her equilibrium back in line.

"Nothing," replied Roy, chuckling at the expression on her face. "But maybe that's the problem…he's delirious from the lack of food."

"That explains a lot," she stated drily. "He never could think straight on an empty stomach."

Before Johnny could defend himself against his partner and girlfriend, the guys' radio went off and from the sounds of it, this was a big one. All joking aside, the guys listened for the information that would tell them where they were heading.

"Station 51...Station 110...Station 36...Station 10...Engine 38...Truck 127.….Structure fire at the industrial park…4538 Industrial Drive…repeat structure fire at the industrial park, building is fully engaged….4538 Industrial Drive….cross street is 12 Avenue. Be cautioned that shots have been fired….police and sheriff are on the scene….proceed with caution. Time out 1253."

Roy took off at a dead run for the squad as Johnny quickly kissed Bree goodbye, saying he would be careful. He slid onto the passenger seat barely getting the door shut before Roy had the squad in gear and flew out of the parking lot.

Even though he knew the situation seemed grave, Johnny was still grinning like a Cheshire cat as they headed towards the industrial park where the location of a warehouse fire had been spotted. All he could think about was how much he was looking forward to this shift ending and taking Bree and their daughter camping in the very same spot that he and Bree had first spent time alone at. He hadn't told Bree exactly where they were going to but knew she would be very pleased with what he planned.

The smile was all but wiped from his face when they came upon the warehouse. The squad had caught up to their station, following right behind Big Red, hoping for the best but preparing for the worst. Going to a fire that also had the added bonus of an unknown person with a gun is not something the firefighters wanted to be part of. As Station 51 rounded the corner, they could see the other stations who had arrived and that the building indeed was fully engulfed. Mike slowed the engine down near the hydrant and Chet and Marco jumped off and began pulling hose off of the back of the truck. Johnny ran over to help them as soon as Roy had stopped the squad. Captain Stanley went over to talk with Vince, one of the LA Police at the scene, standing with the Chief.

"Vince, any luck with finding the person who was shooting at you guys?" asked Captain Stanley.

"No such luck. Right after the fire trucks started showing up, the shooting stopped. The shots that were fired were not coming from inside the burning building. With all the commotion, nobody is sure which direction they were coming from."

"That's just wonderful. We got someone out there who is trigger happy and we have no clue just where he is."

"Sorry, Captain. We got some men combing the area but so far nothing has turned up."

While the captain talking with the police, Roy went running to help with the hoses and told Johnny, Chet and Marco that the shooter was still somewhere in the vicinity but no one knew exactly where. The Chief had told Captain Stanley that they were going to focus more on saving the few buildings around the one that was burning as there was no way to get inside to fight it. The plan was use two of the four stations to concentrate on the burning building and the others would be strategically placed around the parameter and used to water down the buildings that were to the west of the one burning. Station 51 would be helping with the burning building. Roy was holding the hose and aiming it towards the building and Johnny was bracing him from behind.

_He smiled from the tree line that was located a good distance behind the burning building. When he was looking for the perfect place to set the final stage of his plan into action, this one was perfect. It was close enough so that 'fire boy's' station would be called to help fight the fire but secluded enough that the fire he had started would not be noticed immediately._

_For a few hours he had waited patiently, watching the building as the first small wisps of smoke snuck out the broken windows. Soon flames were shooting through the roof and he could hear sirens in the distance. When the first police car arrived, he took a couple of shots at him just to get his attention. He shot off a couple of more rounds from a different side of the building to confuse the officer. Like it would be hard to do that anyway, he thought._

_As the fire engines and their crews arrived, he melted back into the tree grove and began his intense search for the one he needed to eliminate. He did not make a sound as he slipped between the trees. Soon he spotted a couple of firemen readying themselves to man the hose aimed at the building. Using the scope on his rifle, he established this was the one he was looking for, calculating the distance he would need for his shot and patiently waited for the right moment._

The two were concentrating on the fire before them and never knew that danger was a distance behind them. The unknown assailant silently crept through the dense trees behind Station 51's location, keeping a good distance between them so not to be detected should any police officer be nearby. He had heard the two talking to each other as they got into place and prepared to fight the fire he had set. He knew that the one in bracing the other from behind was the one he was looking for. He patiently waited for his target to shift positions as he never really liked shooting anyone in the back. Using the telescopic lens for his rifle, he slowly brought the rifle to his shoulder carefully taking aim. His wish was soon answered as Johnny stood up to loosen up a kink in his back and when he turned, the finger on the trigger pulled.

As Johnny raised his arm to stretch and try to remove the kink, he felt something stinging him in the right side. As he reached for his side, he felt a rather odd sensation and found his knees were beginning to buckle. He tried to grab Roy's back to alert him but instead felt himself sliding in slow motion to the ground.

When he felt his partner's hands lift from bracing him, Roy turned to see what was going on and saw his partner fall to the ground. Automatically, he shut down the water supply and ran to Johnny. As he turned him onto his back, Roy noticed a dark spot on the side of Johnny's turnout coat. Grabbing the coat, he pulled it away from Johnny and was shocked to see the blood running from Johnny's side. He immediately began shouting for help to anyone who might be in range of hearing him.

Johnny grasped his partner's wrist to gain his attention. Looking down, Roy noticed his partner was still conscious, but was having difficulty with his breathing and at the same time was trying to tell him something.

"Roy, I think someone shot me. Why would they do that?" he asked breathlessly.

"I don't know, junior, but I'm gonna find out," stated Roy not bothering to hide his anger or concern from his voice.

He kept shouting for help and soon spotted Chet coming around the corner of the building. Chet slid to a stop as he noticed the scene in front of him. He couldn't help but notice the blood seeping through Roy's fingers as he tried to staunch the flow from Johnny's side.

"Chet, Johnny's been shot! He's having problems with his breathing…get me the O2 ASAP. Also get Cap!" Roy looks at his partner and says, "Help is coming, Johnny. Hold on!"

Chet turned and ran to grab the oxygen and any other piece of equipment he knew Roy would need. As he sprinted around the corner, he located the Captain talking with Chief McConnike by the Chief's car.

As he flew by his superiors, he shouted Roy's message towards them, "Cap, Johnny's been shot! Roy wants you over there now. I'm getting their stuff!"

Dropping what they were doing, Captain Stanley and the Chief ran around the corner of the building and what they saw made their hearts skip a few beats. Roy looked up as he saw them coming towards him. And right behind them was Chet carrying the O2 tank and Marco carrying the rest of the equipment. The Chief immediately radioed for another engine and squad to be sent to their location.

"Cap, it's bad. Blood is seeping from a wound in his chest on the right side and he's also bleeding on the left. I think one of his lungs may have been hit and it sounds like it might already be collapsing."

Hank placed his hand on Roy's shoulder and in a calm tone of voice (hoping it will calm the senior paramedic) said, "We are going to do all we can for him. I've called an ambulance to this location and the Chief called in a replacement station for us. Let's get to work on saving Johnny."

Chet set the bio-phone down next to the captain who would relay the information to Rampart. Marco had placed all the other equipment next to Roy and had begun to set up the oxygen for Johnny.

"Rampart, this is Squad 51. How do you read?" asked the Captain as he kept one eye on his men.

"Read you loud and clear, Squad 51." Dr. Early looked at the phone puzzled as the voice did not belong to either Johnny or Roy.

"Rampart, we have a Code I, one victim. I will be relaying the information for the paramedics."

"Describe the incident, 51."

"One of our paramedics has been shot by a sniper's bullet at the location of a fire we were called to. Be forewarned that the victim is Johnny Gage."

Dr. Early looked at Dixie who just came out of treatment room 1. "Dixie, is Kel available?" When she shook her head no, he continued, "Then please find Dr. Morton. I will need his assistance."

Dixie took off in the direction of the staff lounge as she thought she had seen him head in that direction.

"Do you have vitals on the victim yet?"

"Affirmative, Rampart. Blood pressure is low and shocky. Pulse is weak and rapid and respirations are shallow and labored. We do have him on O2."

Roy began hooking up the EKG so that they could monitor his heart. His own heart was racing as he couldn't tell how bad the damage was to Johnny. He had found the exit wound above Johnny's hip on the left side when he noticed the blood dripping from the hem of the turnout coat as he tried to take it off of his partner. He felt a hand touch his arm and he turned to see Johnny trying to tell him something.

"What is it, Junior?"

Johnny removed the mask from his face so Roy could hear what he had to say, "Roy…it hurts…to breathe. I need you to tell Bree…tell her…"

"Tell her yourself when you get to the hospital," stated Roy as he tried to place the mask back on Johnny's face. "I am not letting you go and don't you think otherwise. Don't try to speak. Save it for later."

"You have to…tell her…I am sorry I wasn't careful enough …and I love her," he said breathlessly. "Roy…pain…can't breathe." As if trying to talk had robbed him of what little strength he had left, Johnny lapsed into unconsciousness.

Roy grabbed the biophone's receiver out of the Captain's hand and all but shouted into it, "Rampart, patient has lapsed into unconsciousness but before he did, he was complaining of pain, not being able to breathe."

"Insert endotracheal tube. Start an IV of Ringers Lactate," directed Dr. Early as he glanced at the EKG strip. He didn't like how it looked and practically shouted at the paramedic on the other end, "Get him here ASAP! Time is of the essence!"

Dr. Morton sprinted up to the base station just as Dr. Early stated the last order. He asked his coworker what happened. Dr. Early filled him in on what was happening as they headed to the ER entrance to await the ambulance. Dixie had gone to set up treatment room 4. Carol called up to the OR, giving the staff upstairs a heads up on the situation (per Dr. Early's request) and asked them to have room ready for the patient as soon as they got him here and had him stabilized.

The sirens of the ambulance approaching were a welcome sound to the men of Station 51. Vince directed the ambulance to follow him to where the guys were. Chet and Marco helped lift Johnny onto the gurney with Roy climbing in behind him. Marco shut the doors, giving two quick slaps to signal the driver and the ambulance was off. The guys quickly gathered up the equipment left behind, stowing it back in the squad.

"Hank," Chief McConnike spoke, "This fire is almost under control. I have ordered Station 51 to stand down until B shift can replace you. Take the engine and squad back to the station. The guys should be there waiting for you to get back. Then head to the hospital to check on your guy."

"Thanks, Chief. We really appreciate it." He turned to Chet and told him to drive the squad to Rampart and pick up the equipment from Roy, return to the station and then they would all ride to Rampart to check on Johnny's condition.

As the ambulance raced towards Rampart, Roy could feel his stomach tighten in fear as he watched Johnny's heart rate jump all over the place. He knew that whatever entered his body had to have bounced around before exiting out. God only knew what damage was done inside. With one more glance at the monitor, Roy quickly jumped into action, yelling at the driver to speed it up.

Dixie could hear the sirens of the ambulance, waiting impatiently outside the treatment room for them to bring Johnny in. Mike and Joe were waiting near the entrance to assist in any way they could. The doors flew open and the guys were pushing the gurney quickly around the corner. Roy was on top of the gurney performing CPR on Johnny while ambulance attendant manned the AMBU bag as they rolled down the hall.

Dr. Early asked Roy, "When did this happen?"

"Just as we pulled in."

Quickly Johnny was pulled onto the table in the treatment room with Roy still performing CPR. Dr. Early grabbed the defibrillator paddles and hit the charge button. Roy cleared the table when he saw the doctor was ready. When it turned red, Joe placed the paddles on Johnny's chest and yelled, "CLEAR!" Everyone pulled back and he hit the buttons. Johnny's back arched as the current went through him. They all looked at the EKG and it was still V-fib. Again, the paddles were charged and Dr. Early yelled, "CLEAR!" The second time did it. The EKG read a weak sinus rhythm and they knew that could change in a heartbeat. Dixie quickly grabbed a blood pressure cuff and put it on Johnny to see where his blood pressure was at. When she finished and had given Dr. Early the information, she leaned over by Johnny's ear and told him to not give up. The ER staff kept on working feverishly to stabilize Johnny as they knew he needed to get to the OR for surgery to repair any damage done by the bullet.

Roy stepped back to let the doctors do their work as he knew Johnny was in good hands. He looked down at his own hands, noticing for the first time the blood that covered them. He began to shake as he realized just whose blood was covering them. Seeing that Roy was close to the edge, Dixie walked over, led him to the sink in the corner and placed his hands under the warm water.

He looked at the nurse and smiled wanly at her. He knew she was trying to keep him from worrying about his partner on the gurney behind them. He could hear Joe and Mike both shouting orders to the other nurses in the treatment room. When he was done washing his hands, Dixie took him out to the nurses' station where Chet was anxiously waiting for some news.

"Why don't you two go to the staff lounge and have some coffee until we know how he is. There is no sense in standing out here and worrying yourself to death. He is just about ready to go up for surgery."

Chet looked at Roy then back at Dixie before stating, "I have to get the squad back to the station. I will be right back. The others should be here shortly." With that said, Chet grabbed the equipment, ran down the hallway so he could get the squad back to the station and be back to find out how Johnny was doing.

"Dixie, I am really not in the mood for a cup of coffee. I would rather just stay out here and wait until the rest of the crew gets here, if you don't mind." Roy looked a little defeated as he said this.

"No problem, Roy, but I am going to have a cup of coffee," replied Dixie as she turned to the small coffee pot at the nurses' station. Roy just about jumped as she slammed her fist on the counter. "DAMN IT! Why does this have to happen? What is wrong with people that they have to take it out on someone who doesn't deserve it?" Dixie put her head down but not before Roy saw the tears in them.

"Dixie, we have to believe he is going to come out of this. We all know he is pretty lucky at getting out of his scrapes."

"One of these days he is not going to be as lucky and then where will we be?" She looked up at Roy and knew he was thinking the same thing, that none of them would be the same if that ever happened.

While the pair stood by the base station, each lost in their own thoughts, one of their own was pulling into the parking lot. Mandy smiled to herself as she locked the door to her car and headed towards the hospital. After Bree's goodbye party, they had headed to downtown Torrance to do a little dress browsing. Mandy couldn't help but giggle when she remembered the look on Bree's face when they pulled up in front of a bridal shop. She told Bree they hadn't set a date yet but that she just wanted to see what was on the market for dresses as some of the styles that were out weren't exactly what she wanted in a dress.

Just as she was about to cross into the ER parking area, she noticed the squad flying by her with Chet driving it. She watched as the squad rounded the corner of the parking lot and left her line of sight…when it dawned on her that something had to have happened to one of the guys if Chet was in the squad. She turned and sprinted for the ER.

Spotting Roy and Dixie standing at the base station, she ran up to them and asked, "What happened?"

Both Roy and Dixie jumped as the sudden presence of Mandy broke them from their thoughts. The tears immediately welled up in Dixie's eyes and to avoid bursting into tears, she left the base station to check on the patient in treatment room 1. Roy glanced at the brunette with confusion written on his face as if he was unsure of what was actually going on. Before he even had a chance to register the question Mandy had asked, the door to treatment room 4 had opened up. Mandy looked on in shock as the gurney being rolled out had Johnny lying upon it with an endotracheal tube in his mouth, numerous IVs and a heart monitor that sounded way too eerie to her.

Dr. Brackett had joined them in treatment room 4 shortly after Dr. Early had defibrillated Johnny and said he would join them in the OR. He yelled for them to hold the elevator, asking the few on board to be please exit as they needed to get the patient up to the OR stat. Watching the doors to the elevator close, Mandy's shock gave way to the need to get answers.

"Will someone please tell me what the hell happened?" she all but shouted as she turned to Johnny's partner.

The vehemence in her voice broke Roy from his confusion and he turned to her said in a matter-of-fact tone, "Johnny was shot."

"What?" she exclaimed. "How? Where?" So many questions ran through her mind at that point that she didn't know how to phrase them, much less ask them.

"At the scene of the fire that we were called to," said Roy as he realized that it was Mandy next to him. "We were helping contain it to the burning building while the other stations were working to keep the nearby building from catching on fire. Knowing there was someone with a gun in the area didn't help us but we had a job to do. Johnny took a shot in the side."

"Oh dear God," cried Mandy. "Has anyone tried to reach Bree yet?"

When Roy failed to answer her questions, she took that as a no. Grabbing the phone on the nurses' station counter, she immediately dialed the number to Johnny's ranch. After ten rings she got no answer. She thought that was odd and then remembered Bree saying something about stopping at the market before heading home. She figured she would give it a few more minutes before trying again.

"Mandy?" asked Roy.

"What is it, Roy?"

"Would you please call my wife? I don't know if I can even find the words to tell her what has happened," he replied in a tired voice.

Picking the phone up, she dialed the number to Roy's house. On the third ring, a young boy answered the phone.

"Is your mother available, Chris?" Mandy asked him in calm voice that even surprised her.

Yeah was the reply she got as Chris turned and yelled for his mother while still holding the phone in his hand. Roy even jumped when he heard his son yelling and made a mental note to himself to talk to his son about yelling while still holding the phone.

"Hello, this is Joanne DeSoto," replied Joanne as she took the phone from her son.

"Hi, Joanne, it's Mandy," she stated. "I hate to bother you but Roy asked me to call you. There's been an incident at the scene of the fire the guys were called to."

Joanne asked in a slightly teasing tone, "What happened to Johnny this time?"

"There is no easy way to say this, Jo, but Johnny's been shot," said Mandy as calmly as she could.

Silence pounded Mandy's ears as she waited for Joanne to answer her. For what seemed like minutes, nothing else was said. Finally, Mandy did hear an intake of breath from Joanne and could tell she was trying to get herself under control.

"I'll be there as soon as I can. I'm sure the neighbor lady will watch the kids for me," said Joanne. "Oh, dear lord, that boy is trying to give me gray hairs before my own children do. Tell Roy I love him."

Hanging up the phone, Mandy relayed Joanne's message to her husband. She stood and stared at the phone as if willing to ring then picked it up one more time to try to contact Bree. Again it rang and rang with no answer. She thought Bree should have been home by now but then remembered that Johnny's aunt was staying with them and watching Sierra this week. She wondered why she hadn't answered the phone.

Dixie exited treatment room 1 pushing a young boy in a wheelchair. She was admonishing the lad for thinking he could fly with his mother's robe wrapped around his neck. With his leg in a cast, she was telling him exactly what he could not do and that if he even attempted to try and she saw him back in her ER, he was going be in more trouble with her than with his mother. Glancing up at the boy's mother, she winked and joined in the boy's laughter.

After making sure the boy was in safe hands, Dixie returned the wheelchair to the holding area by the ER doors. Walking back towards the base/nurses' station, she saw that Roy had not moved from his previous position and that Mandy was looking at the phone in her hand with total frustration.

"Something wrong, Mandy?" the head nurse asked as she came around the desk.

Glancing up to see Dixie had returned, Mandy replied, "I can't get a hold of Bree and no one is answering at the ranch. I know Johnny's aunt is still there so I can't understand why she is not answering either."

"Could they be outside on the patio and just not hearing the phone ring?" Dixie queried as she poured herself a cup of coffee. "I know that Bree loves to take Sierra outside when it's nice out."

"The phone is loud enough that you can hear it on the patio," stated Mandy. "No, that is not it. I just have a very bad feeling and I don't like the fact that no one out there is answering the phone."

When Roy heard Mandy say something about a bad feeling, he pushed himself away from the wall and turned to say something to her. "What do mean by 'a bad feeling'?"

"I can't place my finger on it, Roy, but I just feel that something is not right. Did anything seem out of the ordinary at the scene of the fire?" she asked.

"It seemed like an ordinary fire to us. An abandoned building that more than likely had vagrants squatting in it," he stated. "Of course it didn't help that we had the exception of someone with a happy trigger finger who took pot shots at the police and then quit."

Mandy's head popped up. She looked at Roy like he had just spoken in a different language. "Come again?" she asked.

"Somebody took a couple of pot shots at the first police officer on the scene. When we arrived, Vince was telling the captain that as soon as the fire trucks arrive, the shooting stopped. That is, until Johnny was shot at."

No sooner had that comment left Roy's mouth did the thought enter into his mind and into Mandy's as to what was really going on here. He could see the fear in her eyes just as clearly as she could see the disbelief in his.

"Do you…" Roy began.

"I'm not sure…it's just a feeling I have," interrupted Mandy. "I'm gonna head out to the ranch to check on Bree and Sierra."

"I'll go with you," he said.

"Roy, you can't. You need to be here when they are done in surgery. Johnny's gonna need you near him," stated Mandy as she turned to Dixie. "Dix, could you please call the lab and let them know what is going on. I am sure they are wondering why I haven't shown up yet."

"You shouldn't go out there alone," stated Roy. "If what you are feeling is right, you could find yourself in danger also. I wouldn't feel right if you headed out there by yourself."

"She won't be by herself," countered Joanne as she approached them from behind.

Roy whipped around and grabbed his wife in a big hug. She could feel the relief in her husband's embrace and knew he was barely keeping his emotions in control. She also knew that once Johnny was out of surgery and out of danger, he would release them only to her.

"I'm so glad you are here," he whispered to her before he released his hold on her.

Keeping her arm around her husband's waist, Jo glanced at Dixie and asked, "Have we heard anything on Johnny's condition?"

Dixie shook her head, still finding it hard to think about Johnny. Jo looked at Mandy and knew the brunette was chomping to get out to the ranch. She turned to Roy, took his face between her hands and kissed him.

"You go and wait for word on Johnny. I will go with Mandy to the ranch and promise to call you as soon as we get there," she stated. Turning to Mandy, she asked "You driving or shall I?"

Mandy shook her car keys at Joanne indicating that she was going to drive. Roy watched as his wife and Mandy headed out of the ER, fearing what they might find when they get to the ranch. Once they were out of sight, he turned back to Dixie and the two once again stood silently side-by-side deep within their own thoughts about their friend.

Joanne hung on to the door handle for dear life. She didn't realize what she was getting into when Mandy said she would drive. The girl was whipping in and out of traffic like the other cars were standing still. Silently she said prayers that they would make it to the ranch in one piece.

Mandy took her foot off the accelerator but did not touch the brake instead let the car slow down on its own as she spotted the exit she needed to take. She deftly slid the car into the exit lane with a flick of her wrist and the flash of the car's blinker. Glancing to her right, she could see Joanne's mouth moving in what she could surmise was a prayer. She couldn't help but let the giggle inside her escape as she noticed the death grip that Joanne had on the door handle.

Hearing a giggle come from her left, Joanne turned her head to see the amusement on Mandy's face.

"I'm glad you find life flashing before your eyes amusing," groused Joanne as she struggled to get her racing heart under control.

"You were never in any danger, Joanne," stated Mandy as she picked up speed once more. "If girls were allowed to race cars in the NASCAR circuit, I think I would give it a try."

"That's easy for you to say…never in any danger," retorted Joanne. "Sit on this side and whip in and out of traffic then tell me there's no danger. I would like to get the ranch in one piece."

Mandy threw her head back and laughed out loud. It was like having Bree sitting in the seat next to her. She never liked Mandy's racing style of driving…even though she herself was known to break the sound barrier when given the chance.

The pair collapsed into companionable silence as they flew down the road. As she approached the intersection near the gas station, Mandy barely slowed down but glancing both directions and seeing no approaching cars or cops blew through the stop sign like it wasn't even there. Joanne looked in disbelief at the girl but knew she was only concerned for her cousin and her baby.

She couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief when Mandy slowed the Trans Am down (to what she considered a manageable level) as they turned on to the gravel road that would lead them to the ranch. They both spotted the driveway at the same time and could feel their hearts pounding with fear and anxiety at what they might find when they arrive.

Mandy didn't realize she had been holding her breath until she saw Bree's Mustang still parked in the driveway. She parked the vehicle directly behind Bree's car and rested her head on the steering wheel to try and bring herself under control before she went inside and chewed her cousin out for worrying her. Joanne herself felt relief in seeing the car sitting in the driveway.

"Come on, Mandy, let's go inside and give that girl grief for worrying us half to death," said Joanne as she exited the car. "After that, I'm going to give her more grief for the wild ride I had to endure to get here."

"Admit, Joanne, you found it thrilling," chuckled Mandy as she got her heart and breathing slowed down. "I'm sure neither you nor Roy drive like that when you don't have the kids with you."

Joanne chuckled quietly to herself before she finally admitted to Mandy that she did find it a little thrilling…but only a little. They bantered back and forth as to just what they were going to say to Bree when they got inside and giggled a little more over some of the more outrageous statements each made…until they were facing the front door.

Immediately Mandy knew something wasn't right as the door wasn't completely shut and she knew Bree would never leave it that way as Sierra had just mastered crawling and could really get around on the hardwood floors in the house. She motioned for Joanne to step behind her and then using the tip of her shoe she pushed the door open wider.

At first glance, nothing looked like it was out of order. The two women softly stepped over the threshold and peered down the hallway towards the bedrooms but heard no giggle of a child or laughter of an adult. Subconsciously, Joanne and Mandy clasped hands as if to gather strength if they had to flee. A few more steps and they were in the living area with their backs to the kitchen.

Seeing nothing unusual in the living area, Joanne turned around to check out the kitchen. She softly gasped at what greeted her. Tugging on Mandy's arm, she pointed towards the kitchen floor.

When she heard the gasp from Joanne and felt her tug, Mandy was almost afraid to turn around and see what was waiting behind her. As if in slow motion, she turned and followed the direction that Joanne was pointing in. She could feel the blood drain from her face as all she saw in her field of vision was a pair of feet sticking out from the other side of the kitchen island.

The two detectives entered Rampart General Hospital's ER hoping that a familiar face would be around to help them find whom they needed to talk to. Detective Crockett glanced towards the ER nurses' station and spotted Dixie talking on the phone while she was entering data in the chart in front of her. He silently motioned to his partner and headed down the corridor towards the station.

Dixie could hear footsteps heading in her direction as she was hanging up the phone. Looking up, she immediately recognized the two detectives who have been working on Bree's stalker case. From the expressions that the two men had on their faces, this was not going to be a social call. She could feel the butterflies add themselves to the rock she already had sitting in her stomach from worrying about Johnny in surgery.

"Miss McCall, we need you to point us in the direction of Roy DeSoto. It's very urgent," stated Detective Crockett rather bluntly.

Without a word, she pointed in the direction of the staff lounge that was located down the hall from the nurses' station. She watched as the detectives moved with a hurried purpose towards the lounge. Now she was wishing Carol hadn't gone on her lunch break just then as she would like to be in the room for that conversation.

Detective Crockett pushed open the door to the staff lounge and was greeted by five anxious faces that looked crestfallen when they realized it wasn't who they expected to see. Davison followed closely behind and glanced around the room realizing the one person they really hoped to see was not there.

Roy could feel his heart rate rise at the appearance of the two detectives. He knew they wouldn't be here if it didn't have something to do with Johnny's accident and Bree's stalker. He turned from the window and faced the two men.

"Detectives," he said. "I have a feeling that this is not a social call that you are making."

"You are pretty astute, Mr. DeSoto," said Crockett. "We, unfortunately, are not here with pleasant news. We were hoping to see Miss Leigh among you. Do you know when she is going to arrive?"

Roy glanced at his coworkers before replying to the detective's question. "We're not sure if and when she will be arriving, Detective. We haven't been able to reach her at home. My wife and Bree's cousin are on their way out to the ranch right now to see why she hasn't been answering her phone."

Clutching the manila envelope in his hand, Crockett had a feeling that he knew exactly what Mandy and Jo would find at the ranch and it was not going to be Bree or her daughter. Davison came to the same conclusion.

"Crockett, we better get out there…now!" he said to his partner.

When Roy heard that, he reached out, grabbed the older detective's arm and asked him, "What's happened?"

Davison already had the door open and was halfway into the hallway expecting his partner to be right behind him. Realizing the older man was not following, he turned to see Roy grabbing his partner's arm. He saw his partner hand the paramedic the manila folder.

"We received this about five minutes after a call was made informing us that your partner was brought here to Rampart with a gunshot wound."

Roy reached in the folder and pulled out a picture of Johnny with a red X across his face. On the back of the picture, it stated "Now she is mine." As the blood drained from his face, he realized he had just sent his wife and Mandy to the ranch where a madman could be lying in wait for them.

"Oh dear God," he said softly as Chet and Marco snuck a peek over his shoulder and blanched at the picture of their coworker. "What do we do now?"

"Mr. DeSoto, you all do nothing. You wait here to learn how your coworker is fairing from his injuries," said Crockett motioning behind his back for Davison to have a little patience. "We are going to head out to the ranch with sirens blaring in hopes of preventing an incident. As soon as we know something, we will call here."

He turned and quickly followed his partner through the ER hallway and out the door. Dixie had just been exiting Treatment Room 3 when they blew by her. She knew something definitely was up from the haste they were making and the looks on their faces. She thought if she had run into those two outside she would have been scared.

Carol came walking back to the nurses' station when Dixie told the base station was her and took off at a good clip for the staff lounge. As she approached the door, she could hear the raised voices coming from inside and knew that whatever information the detectives imparted to them was not good…at least not from the wording she could hear in the hallway.

"…and until we know for sure what is going on, Kelly, we will not be taking off like a Wild West posse to hunt this person down," stated Captain Stanley. "Is that understood?"

Chet muttered something unintelligible. "Would you care to repeat, Kelly?"

"I'm sorry, Cap. I can't help but think we could be out there doing something," Chet replied with a sour look on his face.

"And what good could you do?" asked Dixie as she entered the room. "Chet, the maniac as you called him tried to hurt all of you at one time or another. If you took off out of here to try and hunt him down, what would you do if you found him? You have no clue just who this person is!"

"But…" Chet started to say.

"No buts, Chet," continued Dixie as she sat down in the seat that Marco vacated for her. "If he _is_ the one who shot Johnny, he is an expert marksman because from Roy told me of the area the shot had to have come from the tree grove near the warehouse."

Chet opened his mouth to saying something else but caught the look the captain was throwing his way and thought better of it. Instead he opted for pacing the floor, stopping once or twice to look out the window before resuming the pacing. He kept telling himself it's not because he was overly concerned for Johnny but because he didn't want to have to break in a new pigeon. As he looked out the window for the third time, he mentally slapped himself and thought…you do care what happens to him…you just don't want the others to figure it out.

The rest of Station 51's crew watched the stocky Irishman pace around the room and kept their smiles and thoughts to themselves. They knew Chet would never admit that he cared about what might happen to Johnny so they allowed him to keep that delusion and never let him know that they already knew the score.

Dixie sat with the guys for a few more minutes before she had to return to work. She knew the next hour or so was going to wear on them while they waited for news on Johnny's surgery and from Mandy on Bree's status. She relieved Carol at the base station and placed a call to the cafeteria to order some sandwiches and coffee to be sent to the staff lounge.

Roy finally had enough of watching Chet pace. He got up and stood next to him at the window. "Chet, stop with the pacing. It's not gonna do any good except maybe wear the finish off the floor."

"Not funny, Roy," retorted Chet. "I just hate waiting around hospitals and with Gage we have been here enough. Some idiot is out there terrorizing us with the purpose of getting his hands on Gage's girlfriend. I just feel we should be doing something to help, that's all."

"We know, Kelly, we know," said Roy as he laid his hand on Chet's shoulder. "The waiting is enough to kill any of us but for right now it's all we can do. If we get in the way of the detectives and/or police, we could find ourselves in trouble. Worse yet, if we did find this maniac, that would be even more trouble as so far he has been two steps ahead of us."

Before he could say anything more, the door opened with a candy-striper pushing a cart loaded with sandwiches and coffee for the guys. Chet smiled as his stomach announced it was hungry. Before she could even tell them who sent it, the guys were helping themselves. The girl just shook her head and giggled as she walked out of the room.

Mandy swallowed hard and prayed that whoever was on the other side of the island was only unconscious. Slowly she made her way to the island with Joanne following closely behind. Placing one hand on the edge of the island counter, she stood on her tip toes and peered over the counter, gasping out loud as she saw Johnny's Aunt Rose lying motionless on the floor.

She quickly rounded the island and dropped to her knees, feeling for a pulse. She released an audible sigh of relief when she felt the strong carotid pulse beneath her fingertips. She couldn't imagine having to tell Johnny his aunt was no longer with them, had that been the case. If Bree has been taken, that was going to be hard enough to break to him after what he just went through.

Joanne leaned heavily against the counter when she realized that Rosemary was just unconscious. Just the shock of seeing only a pair of feet from where they had been standing was enough to scare another ten years off her life. All she could think of was first Johnny, now Rosemary…and where the hell is Bree. Breaking through her thoughts was a snapping sound. She looked down and saw Mandy trying to get her attention.

"Jo, keep it to get it together," stated Mandy. "I need you to try and find the first aid kit that Johnny usually keeps in the house."

"Sorry, Mandy. I'm still trying to wrap my head around this whole mess," said Joanne as she began searching the cabinets for the kit.

"I think we all are," replied Mandy. "I just hope like hell Bree has Sierra and they are hiding in the barn.

While Mandy checked to make sure Rosemary's pulse was still going strong, Joanne kept looking for the first aid kit. Finally in the floor-to-ceiling pantry, she located it up on the highest shelf. Naturally, she thought as she grabbed the stepstool next to the pantry, he would have to keep it in the highest spot so us short people had problems getting to it.

It didn't take her long to find the ammonia capsule within the kit. She broke the casing and gave it to Mandy who slowly waved it under Rosemary's nose. In just a few moments, Rosemary's consciousness came to life and her arms tried their best to swat away the awful smell that was near her.

"Rosemary, come on. Open those eyes for me."

Rose could hear the voice and kind of recognized it but wasn't sure. As her awareness returned, the memory of what caused her to lose consciousness in the first place came back in full force.

"NO!" she screamed, trying to fight the girl trying to help her.

"Rose!" Mandy shouted softly as she grabbed the woman's flailing arms in her hands and placed her face directly in line with Rosemary's vision. "Rose! Look at me…it's Mandy, Bree's cousin."

Kneeling behind Rosemary, Joanne helped to steady her while Mandy worked on helping the older woman regain her senses so she could let them know what happened to Bree and her daughter. Gently she took hold of the woman's flailing arms and wrapped her own around her from behind as Mandy softly talked to her while holding her face.

Mandy could see the confusion slowly ebb out of Rosemary's eyes. Waiting patiently on her knees, she slowly counted in her mind while awareness began to surface in Rosemary.

"Mandy?" she questioned.

"Yes, Rosemary, it's me," replied Mandy with a very relieved smile on her face. "Are you okay? Do you think you can stand?"

"I think so," stated Rosemary rather shakily. She reached up to grab the edge of the counter and would have tried to pull herself up if Mandy hadn't stopped her.

"Rosemary, let Joanne and I raise you up. I don't want you taking any chances of passing out halfway up and hitting the floor again."

The girls helped the older woman up from the floor, very slowly walked her over to the couch and sat her down. Mandy did a cursory exam of Rosemary's condition noticing her pupils, although sluggish, did react to the little flashlight she had found in the first aid kit.

While Mandy checked Rosemary over, Joanne contacted the LA County Fire Dispatch to request a squad and ambulance to be sent to their location. She relayed what little information she had to the dispatcher, apologizing for not having more to give him. She then called the LA Police Department and asked for one of the detectives assigned to Bree's stalker case, only to be told that neither he nor his partner was there at the time.

"Rosemary, I need you to tell me where Bree and Sierra are," stated Mandy.

The woman shook her head before she looked up at Mandy. Both Jo and Mandy were taken aback at the haunted look in Rosemary's eyes. Her body shook with a slight tremor as if the memory of took place earlier was too much for Rosemary to bear.

"Rosemary, what happened out here?" Mandy asked softly as she knelt in front of her, taking her hands in hers. "We need to know so we can notify the police."

"He surprised me. He snuck up behind me while I was placing Sierra in the playpen and just grabbed me," stated Rosemary in an almost emotionless tone of voice as she stared over the top of Mandy's head. "He placed a knife to my throat and said if I didn't cooperate, he would first slit my throat and then he would hurt the baby."

Joanne sat down next to Rosemary, placing a comforting arm about her shoulders. She could feel the tremors still coursing through the woman's body and hugged her slightly to convey that no harm would come to her,

"What happened next?" questioned Mandy.

"He pulled me backwards into the kitchen so we couldn't be seen by Bree when she came home. Sierra had been so startled by him grabbing me that she just sat there…she didn't cry once. That poor child…I'm afraid of what he might do to her. It seemed like he didn't even like her. She is so innocent."

Realizing that Rosemary was starting to ramble off topic, Mandy squeezed her hands hoping to give some comfort to her and get her attention once more back to what happened at the ranch.

"Rose, what did he do when Bree got home? Where are they?"

"The minute Bree walked into the house, Sierra started crying. It was as if her mother's presence broke her out of the shock she had been given," continued Rosemary. "As she stepped towards the living room to pick up her daughter, he shoved me forward, still with the knife to my throat and said her name. That stopped Bree right where she was at. I saw the color drain from her face…"

As she was telling the story to the two women, Rosemary was reliving it in her mind and she could see everything all over again. She jerked her hands from Mandy's grasp and covered her face as if to obliterate what she had seen. She could feel the tears welling up in her eyes as the fear began to creep up her body. She had seen the madness in his eyes and she was afraid for the young woman and child.

"Rose!" shouted Mandy. "You have to finish the story!"

The next words out of Rose's mouth stunned Mandy and Joanne.

"Mandy, she said his name," cried Rosemary. "She knew who he was!"

"WHO!" Mandy all but screamed this at the visibly shaken woman.

Rosemary looked Mandy straight in the eye and said, "She called him Ethan."

Mandy fell back upon her heels and then onto the floor. That name hadn't been mentioned around their family for a long time…at least not since he came back from Vietnam after his second tour of duty.

Memories of childhood came rushing back, assaulting her senses from all sides. In her mind's eye, she clearly saw the very first day that she and Bree had met Ethan. She was thirteen and Bree was ten. They had been sent to spend part of the summer with their grandparents in California.

"_Girls, hurry up," shouted their grandmother down the hall at them. "Grandpa is already in the car!"_

_Bree rolled her eyes as she watched her older cousin put the finishing touches on her makeup, as if there were going to be boys her age wherever they were going, she thought. Grandma had told them it was just ten miles down the road._

_The girls' parents were taking a long cruise around Australia and New Zeeland so the pair had been sent to spend the next five weeks with their grandparents in Southern California. Mandy had already stated how bored she was. She had just discovered the allure of boys and had been "testing the waters" her mother had said when they arrived. At 10, Bree still thought of boys as playmates and not potential dates. She thought her older cousin was nuts._

"_Come on, Mandy, before grandma gets really mad at us," whined Bree. _

"_Quiet, cousin," replied Mandy. "I'm just about ready. Besides, mom always says a lady should look her best when she goes somewhere just in case she meets someone."_

"_Hogwash!" shouted Bree from the doorway. "You're just hopin' that you run into some cute guy so you can practice smiling and batting your eyes at him."_

"_Better to be doing that than spending all my time with horses," she retorted._

_They both heard their grandmother shout again at them. Mandy bolted from bathroom quickly almost running Bree over in her haste to get out before grandma came looking for them. Catching a glimpse of herself in the mirror, she smiled and hoped that there will be boys where they are going. Bree glanced at her cousin's attire and thought 'Grandma is gonna have a heart attack when she sees how short that skirt is'. She knew that was why Mandy took so long to get ready…so there would be no time to change her outfit._

_Shaking her head, Bree turned and walked out the door. She kept muttering under her breath that her cousin is just looking for a way to piss off grandma and this will do it. At the age of 13, Mandy had hit the teenage "I know everything" phase and poor grandma and grandpa now had to deal with her moods for the summer. Just before they got to the foyer of the house, Bree slipped to the side so her poor cousin had to approach grandma full on._

"_What in the world?!" stated their grandmother. "Oh, never mind. Get in the car. Your grandfather is going to have a fit when he sees what you are wearing."_

_They followed their grandmother out of the house trying not to giggle as the woman muttered to herself something about the youth of today and their ideas. Their grandfather never said a word about Mandy's skirt. He just kept his face forward and hoped that no one (especially his wife) would see the grin he was trying to hide. He knew exactly what his 13-year-old granddaughter was up to…she wasn't pleased with being stuck out in the country…she wanted the beach and the boys. So this was her way of showing her displeasure. That would change shortly when she realized just what they were up to._

_Twenty minutes later, he turned down a long driveway that led to their neighbors' home. Harry McNamara was well-known local breeder of American Quarter horses and Paints. When they first learned that the girls were going to be spending five weeks that summer, he and his wife agreed that it was time to buy some horses for them to ride. A few months before their arrival, they had come over to pick out the horses and were assured they would be ready for the girls to ride when they got there._

"_Grandpa, why are we going to the McNamara's home? I thought you said we were going to a barbeque or something like that," said Mandy as she realized she wore this for nothing._

"_Child, what I said was I have a surprise for you. You were the one who said it had to be something like a barbeque."_

_He parked the car and told the girls to get out and behave. Mandy heaved a heavy sigh as if she was being tortured and got out. Bree bounced up alongside of her as she had figured out that grandma and grandpa had brought them here to ride. She spotted Mr. McNamara walking towards them from the location of the bar._

"_Jackson, nice to see you again," said Harry as he extended his hand to his neighbor. "Katrina, it is good to see you."_

"_Hello, Harry," she said as she pulled Bree forward. "You remember our granddaughters…this is Brenna and the young lady standing to my left is Amanda."_

_Harry winked at Brenna as he remembered her. She was always sneaking into his pasture and playing with the horses, had been ever since she could walk. Bree giggled when Harry winked at her. She was remembering the same thing he was…all the times she snuck into his pastures and he would have to come and get out before she either got trampled or started a stampede. No matter what her parents or grandparents told her…she just had to be with the horses._

_Mandy watched the exchanged between the older gentleman and her cousin. Bree was more comfortable here than she was. Living in Alaska, she didn't have the opportunity to visit her grandparents as often as Bree did. She felt no malice towards the younger girl as like Bree, she also got along with people well and could fit into any crowd. She caught a movement near the barn door and gasped as a young man came walking through the very same door holding the reins of two beautiful horses, a paint and a quarter horse. He was dressed in Army fatigues and was smiling._

"Mandy!" shouted Joanne for what seemed like the fifth time trying to get the brunette's attention. "What's going on? And who the hell is Ethan?"

Looking up at Joanne, she swallowed hard before she answered. "Ethan was our neighbor's son. When we first met him, he had just enlisted in the Army and was about to be sent to Vietnam for one of two tours of duty. After his second tour, he went AWOL from the hospital out East, just up and disappeared. Every now and then, he would unexpectedly show up at his…"

Suddenly Mandy jumped to her feet, startling both Rosemary and Joanne. Grabbing her purse, she turned back to the other two women.

"Joanne, stay with Rosemary until the ambulance arrives. I hope the police show up here shortly," stated Mandy.

"Where are you going?" asked Joanne.

"The McNamara place up the road about ten miles…I need to check on…well, let's just hope when I get there everything is just fine," replied Mandy.

Reaching for the door once again, she gave Joanne a weak smile as she pulled the door open. Without looking up, she felt for the handle of the screen door. Not finding it, she looked up and screamed as she saw the man standing in front of her.


	7. Chapter 7

Roy took over the pacing that Chet had done earlier. He first would pace from one end of the room and back, sit down and then once more stand up to pace once more. Chet and Marco tried more than once to start a game of cards and gave up as their concentration just was not on it. Mike sat quietly leaning back into a corner of the couch. Their captain had taken himself for a walk as he couldn't stand sitting anymore in the staff lounge.

For the last hour and a half, various paramedics that knew Roy and Johnny stopped in when they brought someone to Rampart, just to see if there was any news on Johnny and his condition.

While Roy continued his incessant pacing in the staff lounge, two very tired doctors stepped out of the elevator near the nurses' station in the ER of Rampart General Hospital. Kel ran his hand through his dampened hair and looked up to see Dixie walking towards them.

"How is he?" she questioned. "How bad was the damage internally?"

"One question at a time, Dix," said Kel wearily. "They are taking him to recovery right now, but why don't we save the explanation until we are all in the lounge that way I don't have to repeat the tale over again."

Nodding her agreement with Kel, Dixie fell into step alongside him. She couldn't help but notice the exhaustion written in their expressions. It made her wonder just how bad Johnny's internal injuries were. Kel opened the door and motioned for Dixie to go ahead first.

As he stepped into the staff lounge, five expectant faces glanced up at once. Kel could see the worry written in their eyes and in one especially he saw fear. The one face he had expected to see wasn't there and it surprised him considering how well he knew how the young woman felt about the paramedic.

Roy stepped forward, almost dreading what the doctor might have to tell. He could see weariness in Brackett's eyes and hoped that it was just from performing surgery and not from having to inform them the worst has happened.

"Dr. Brackett?" questioned Roy. "How's Johnny doin'? Did he have any problems during surgery?"

"He's in recovery, Roy," replied Kel as he took the cup of coffee offered to him by Marco, nodding his appreciation to the fireman.

Roy was practically jumping out of his skin waiting for Dr. Brackett to tell them news of Johnny's surgery and how he was doing.

"The bullet entered Johnny's body right below the axilla on the right side. At the angle it had entered, it sliced through his right lung and grazed across his liver, exiting out the left side just above the hip," stated Kel in a matter-of-fact tone. "We figure it hit a rib causing it to angle towards the hip, missing the stomach and the small intestine."

Anyone could have heard a pin drop at that point. Dixie paled when Kel talking about where the damage from the bullet had been done. She had been watching Roy's reaction as the senior paramedic turned as pale as she felt. No one said a word as they waited to hear more on Johnny's condition.

"Like I said before, he is in recovery," continued Kel. "But we all know how that goes for Johnny. He either comes out of anesthesia perfectly or he has to give us a hard time and add a few complications. Let's just hope it's the first scenario." He heard a round of agreement to that statement from those in the room.

"Dr. Brackett, just how bad was the damage from the bullet?" asked Roy.

"The wound in the right lung was clean through with the bullet missing the diaphragm by just a fraction of an inch. It then skipped across the liver leaving several nicks in its wake before burrowing a deep groove towards the edge as it exited just above the left hip."

Feeling the stress and strain of the last two hours coming down on him, Kel stood up to take his leave. Before he walked out the door, he turned to the men one more time and said, "One of the nurses from ICU will be down to take you up once they have him settled in and comfortable. He's going to have a chest tube in for a few days to help with keeping the lung inflated until its healed enough to work on its own. Barring any unforeseen complications, Johnny should make a full recovery. It might take a couple of months before he can return work full-time but he will return."

The door shut behind him and an audible sigh could be heard throughout the room. But before anyone got comfortable with the news of Johnny, Kel shot back into the room.

"Now I remember something I was going to ask you…where is Bree? Did anyone think to call her and let her know what has happened?"

"Doc," said Roy. "You might want to come in and sit down."

Noticing the somber look on Roy's face, he knew that his news wasn't going to be as good as his. He sat back down in the seat he just vacated and waited for Roy's explanation of Bree's absence.

"We don't know where she is," Roy continued. "The minute Johnny was brought in Dixie tried to call but received no answer. Her cousin arrived and tried many times to call the ranch but also received no answer. So Mandy and Joanne took off for the ranch to see why no one was answering the phone. We haven't heard from them yet."

"There's more to this story, isn't there?" questioned Kel.

"Yes," replied Roy. "Shortly after Johnny was taken up for surgery, the two detectives assigned to Bree's stalker mystery showed up. Not only had they heard about what happened to Johnny, they were also looking for Bree due to what was delivered by messenger at the police station." He tried to stifle a cough but failed.

Dixie slid a glass of water across the table as she could hear the dryness in Roy's throat and knew if he didn't hydrate himself, he would start coughing. He smiled at her as he took a deep drink from the glass before he continued.

"The detectives had been sent a picture of Johnny with a red X from corner to corner. On the back of the picture was one message…_Now she is mine_. We haven't heard from either of them and the longer the time without news, the worse I'm afraid it might be."

Roy heard a soft but strongly worded curse from behind him and inwardly chuckled as he realized it came from Chet. Even though Bree had gotten the best of Chet the last couple of times the group hung out together, Chet admired her spunk. Now not only was their friend /coworker holding onto life, his girlfriend and daughter may be missing. Chet was only stating what everyone was thinking.

Silence ruled the room for a few more minutes before Kel got up and left the room without a word. He strode purposefully to his office and once inside, locked the door behind him. Exhaustion took over as he sat down at his desk, placing his head in his hand. He hadn't told them the total truth of what occurred in surgery…of how they almost lost Johnny twice on the table…he couldn't do and doubted that he ever will tell them.

She tried to slam the door but the man's foot blocked the way. She could tell by the grimace on his face that at least it hurt when she tried. The minute Joanne and Rose heard Mandy's scream, they knew something or someone surprised her. The girl startled them as she came running into the great room, grabbing one of the fireplace tools to brandish at the intruder.

Both men cautiously stepped into view of the three women. Mandy was in front of Rose with Joanne alongside her. Each of them was holding an object as if they were hell bent on doing as much damage to the intruders if they could. When the intruders were within their sight, Mandy saw the badges that both men were holding out in front of them.

"Damn you!" she cried as she lowered the poker. "Why the hell didn't you announce who you were when you saw me reaching for the door?"

Joanne lowered her weapon also as she realized the two 'intruders' were actually the detectives she had tried to get a hold of to inform them of what has happened out at the ranch.

"Ladies, we are truly sorry for startling you," said Crockett. "We actually thought you had seen us as you were looking directly at the open door before you turned back to your friends."

"Well as you can tell, that was not the case," stated Mandy a little sarcastically as she tried to slow her racing heart. "I don't have time to chat. Joanne can fill you in." She made to move around the detectives before she was stopped.

"What's the hurry?" asked Davison as he stepped in front of Mandy.

"Let's see...my cousin is missing; her boyfriend's aunt was attacked by the same person who has been stalking my cousin. And worst case scenario, he is our neighbor's son who is suffering from some form of mental breakdown and thinks he is the best thing for my cousin. I am trying to get over to his father's home to see if he is okay and if he has seen his son!"

"You are doing no such thing, young lady," stated Crockett. "My partner and I will head over there and check things out. And from what I am hearing, there is an ambulance heading this way."

"No!" shouted Mandy as she strode briskly behind the detectives. "I want to make sure Mr. McNamara is alright."

Detective Crockett turned around and stopped Mandy in her tracks. "You are not going to follow us! If anything has occurred at the neighbor's ranch, it will be considered a crime scene. You will stay right here. And so help me…if I see you anywhere near that ranch, I will arrest you! Understood?"

Mandy nodded and watched as the two detectives quickly left the ranch. Standing in the doorway, she was completely dumbfounded by the way those two "Neanderthals" took over and left her there. She wanted so badly to follow the detectives but knew the detectives wouldn't hesitate to arrest her if they decided she was interfering.

She went back to the living room to wait with the other two women for the ambulance to pull into the driveway. Joanne and Rose both stared at her from the couch, the latter looking dead tired and probably feeling the same she thought.

"What are you going to do, Mandy?" asked Joanne

"The only thing I can do, sit here and wait for the detectives to return," she replied. "But I think you should ride in with Rose that way you can also can check on Johnny, and let Roy know what's going on out here."

Rose's head shot up when she heard Mandy say something about checking up on Johnny. She groaned as the sudden movement sent her head spinning and caused it some throbbing. Both girls turned quickly when they heard Rose groan. That's when it dawned on Mandy that they hadn't told Rose about Johnny's accident.

"Rose, are you okay?" she asked.

"Will somebody tell me what happened to my nephew before I disgrace myself and throw up?" retorted the older woman wryly as she tried to bring her aching head and unruly stomach under control.

Before she even had a chance to explain things to Rose, the paramedics from Station 51 entered the living room. Mandy introduced Rose to the paramedics who gave them their names, Peters and Swanson. The pair immediately got down to work, contacting the hospital and checking Rose's vitals.

Tilting her head to the side, Mandy conveyed the message to Joanne that she needed to talk to her in the kitchen. The two left Rose in the paramedics' expert hands and stepped into the kitchen.

"I hate to lay this one on you, Joanne," said Mandy. "I'm going to leave it to you to explain to Rose the situation with Johnny. I'm going to stay out here and wait for the detectives to return with what Mr. McNamara had to say."

"I think I can handle it," replied Joanne. "Rose is pretty leveled headed and she knows the hazards of Johnny's profession even though it doesn't include getting shot."

The girls could hear Rose joking with the two young paramedics and giving them grief by telling them that if they didn't give her the royal treatment she would make sure her nephew Johnny heard all about it. One of the paramedics had caught Mandy's silent plea to not say a word about Johnny's situation just yet.

"Did you say your nephew is John Gage over at Station 51?" asked the paramedic who said his name was Peters.

"Yes, I did," said Rose, trying to keep her eyes open. "You know, young man, I really would like to go to sleep and that incessant pressure on my arm from the cuff is just a little uncomfortable."

"I'm sure it is, Rose, but I need to check your blood pressure. As far as sleeping, well as soon as we get you checked out and to the hospital, I'm sure they will let you sleep."

"But I really want to close my eyes now. I was sleeping so good before the girls woke me and started asking me all sorts of questions," stated Rose with an impish grin. "My head didn't hurt as much when I was sleeping."

Swanson chuckled as he instructed Rose to look at him and flashed a penlight to check her pupil dilation. Rose batted at the penlight playfully.

"Sorry, Rose, but we have to check all of your responses. I'm sure the light is harsh to your eyes."

Rose muttered something under her breath that had the paramedics chuckling. The ambulance attendants stood patiently nearby waiting for instructions. Once the paramedics had finished their observations and checks on Rose, they got their final instructions from the hospital and motioned for the attendants to bring the gurney over.

They put Rose in a reclining position and headed out to the ambulance. Mandy and Joanne followed close behind. Peters jumped in the back of the ambulance to ride with Rose and Swanson instructed Joanne to ride upfront. After talking with Mandy for a moment, Swanson jumped in his squad and followed the ambulance down the driveway and back to town.

Mandy stood outside for a few more minutes before heading back inside. She was worried about Bree and Johnny's neighbor, someone who she had known she was a kid. Standing in the living room, she tried to imagine the fear that not only Rose felt when she was grabbed from behind but the terror that Bree experienced when she realized just who her stalker was. Softly she whispered a prayer as she waited for the detectives to return.

Roy followed the ICU nurse down the hall to Johnny's room. They had waited about half an hour in the staff lounge before Dixie called upstairs and talked with the head nurse in ICU. She told the guys to follow her as she took them upstairs to the ICU waiting room.

Shortly after they settled into the waiting room, Johnny's nurse came down to get one of them. Consensus was that Roy should be the one to visit him first. As they approached Johnny's room, Roy braced himself for the worst. They had been in this situation before when Johnny got bit by that rattler and the night he was struck by a hit and run. But for some odd reason, this little escapade had him shook more than the others.

The nurse pushed the door and motioned for Roy to enter. She was allowing Roy to go in alone as most at Rampart knew of their friendship and how Roy could be a calming effect on Johnny when he was hurt. Quietly she shut the door behind Roy.

As he walked towards the bed, it amazed him how dark they could make a room in this hospital. Why not let in the light and allow it help in the healing process, he thought as he pulled a chair closer to the bed.

The endotracheal tube was still in place with a ventilator helping him breathe. Poor Johnny, he thought if you could only see all the tubes and IVs running from you. He could hear the steady beep of the heart monitor keeping track of his heart rate, almost keeping in time with the hum of the ventilator.

The nurse had explained to Roy that they were keeping him heavily sedated for the night so the healing process could have a head start on him. He chuckled as they all knew Johnny too well in this hospital and his ability to sneak out or avoid staying here for a prolonged period of time.

He leaned on the bedrail and stared at the heart monitor. He wanted to say something to Johnny but what. For once he was at a loss for words. It should have been Bree sitting here holding his hand with he and Joanne nearby for support. He hadn't heard from Joanne or Mandy since they left the hospital over two hours ago.

"Well, junior, it's another fine mess you got yourself in," he said with a little humor. "I really don't know how you manage it. You've got everybody up in arms with this one. Don't worry though, we will make sure that Bree and Sierra are taken care of while you are in the hospital…"

He left the sentence hanging as he was almost afraid to go on. He didn't know if Bree and her daughter were alright. What if this was the work of the one who has stalked Bree. What if he managed to shoot Johnny and kidnapped Bree. There were so many what if's…Roy hung his head and took a few deep breaths to try to calm his already frayed nerves. He never heard the door open or the 'pssst' noise that was being made to attract his attention.

Chet finally gave up trying to get Roy to look up at him. Checking around to make sure the nurses weren't watching him, he snuck in the room and quickly closed the door. He crept up to Roy and touched him on the shoulder. Roy jumped sending Chet skidding backwards, almost falling.

"Good grief, Chet," exclaimed Roy in a soft but firm tone. "Don't sneak up on a guy like that!"

"Sorry, Roy, but I was trying to get your attention from the doorway and that wasn't working. I thought you were asleep."

"Well, now that you've taken a few more years off my life, what do you want?"

"Dixie called up to the waiting room," he replied. "Squad 95 brought Johnny's aunt in and Joanne's with her."

Roy stood up and headed for the door. As he grabbed the door handle, he turned to Chet and asked, "What about Bree and her daughter?"

"I don't know. Dixie didn't say anything but that you might want to come down to the ER as soon as possible."

Without another word, Roy slipped out of Johnny's room and with a purposeful walk headed straight to the elevator. He wondered what had happened that they had to bring Johnny's aunt in by ambulance. He knew this wasn't going to bode well for Johnny's recovery.

As soon as she saw Roy step off the elevator, Joanne ran to her husband. He pulled her into his embrace and held her while she softly began to cry. He knew just from his wife's reaction that things didn't look good for Johnny as far as his family was concerned. When he felt her sobs subside, he cupped her face in his hands and used his thumbs to wipe the tears from the corners of her eyes and cheeks.

"I take it things weren't all in order when you got to the ranch," stated Roy.

Joanne sniffled before she replied. "No. When we got there, the front door was ajar which Mandy said was unusual since Bree made sure it was always shut due to Sierra crawling. It's what we found when we got inside that scared the daylights out of us."

"What the heck did you find out there?" he asked.

"Rose, unconscious on the kitchen floor," she said softly. "Oh, Roy, my heart just about jumped out of my chest. She was just lying there so still."

"And Bree?" he gently questioned. "What about her and the child?"

"Gone. Rose was almost hysterical as Mandy gently pried bits and pieces of information related to what occurred at the ranch. It was what she told us next that scared Mandy half to death."

"Jo, it couldn't be that bad," said Roy.

She glanced up at him and replied, "Yes it was, Roy. It rocked Mandy back onto her heels. Bree knew her stalker…she knew him!"

While Roy tried to absorb the information his wife had just imparted to him, neither he nor Joanne noticed Dixie approaching them from the treatment room. Dixie could tell what Joanne was telling her husband because Rose had just finished telling her the same story. She was finding it just as hard to believe as Roy was.

"How are you doing, Joanne?" asked ER's head nurse as she walked behind the nurses' desk. "Any residual headaches?"

Jo smiled at Dixie, knowing exactly what she was doing. "Just mild ones now and then, but I have a feeling I'm going to have a bad one tonight."

"With all the stress of today, I wouldn't be surprised," replied Dixie as she looked up at Roy from her perch at the desk. "I take you are still trying to comprehend everything, Roy?"

"That's an understatement, Dixie," he retorted. "I'm still trying to wrap my head around Johnny's accident then my wife goes and throws this new detail at me. I'm beginning to think the whole world has gone mad."

Turning to his wife, he asked her, "Just who is this person that Bree knows?"

"According to Mandy, he was their neighbor's son. They first met him when they came to spend half the summer with their grandparents back in 1963. He had just finished up with basic training and was home for a couple of weeks before being shipped out to Vietnam."

Roy felt a small shudder travel up his spine when Joanne mentioned Vietnam. He could only imagine what this young man experienced when he was there. As he stood there lost in his own thoughts, he didn't hear Jo or Dixie calling his name.

"Honey?" questioned Joanne as she tugged on the sleeve of his work shirt.

"Sorry. I guess I was a few miles away from this conversation."

"To say the least," giggled Joanne. "I was asking you how Johnny was. Dixie said he got out of surgery about an hour ago."

"He's doing as well as can be expected. They are keeping him sedated for the time being. Chet's with him now and I'm sure the others are impatiently waiting their turn to go in."

Dixie looked at Roy and shook her head. "You actually left Chet alone with Johnny? That's like letting the fox have free rein with the chickens." Having stated that, the head nurse couldn't help but burst out laughing at the picture her imagination concocted.

Roy and Joanne couldn't help but join in her laughter as the picture of Chet behaving himself alone in the room with Johnny was funny. Knowing Chet, he was thinking of ways to get his 'pigeon' to wake up.

After the laughter died down, the conversation turned the predicament that they were finding themselves in…how to tell Johnny once he was well enough what has happened to Bree and their daughter. It was a somber group that greeted Mandy when she walked into the ER.

"Mandy!" cried Joanne when she saw the brunette heading towards them. "What did you find out?"

"They told me that the house had been broken into but there was no sign of Mr. McNamara," stated Mandy. "Detective Crockett said when they did a quick search of the home they found today's date circled on the calendar with the notation 'Barstow Horse Auction'. So they assumed that Mr. McNamara is at the auction."

"Where are the detectives now?" asked Roy, noting that the detectives didn't return with her.

"Still checking out both ranches. They are hoping the searches will turn up clues as to where Bree might have been taken," replied Mandy. "At Johnny's place, they just want to make sure that they don't miss anything that might crucial to Bree's safety."

Roy snorted when he heard that. "Seriously, Mandy, do you think they will find anything that could lead them in the right direction? This guy has been two steps ahead of all of us in achieving his ultimate goal of getting to Bree. If he hasn't left any clues before, what makes them think he has left any behind now?"

"I don't know if they will find anything but I can sure as hell hope they do," she retorted with the same exasperation that Roy was feeling. "But knowing Ethan and the skills he acquired while in the Army, he's not going to leave a clue behind at all."

Joanne decided to step in when she heard the frustration in both Roy and Mandy's voices. She knew it would only be a matter of time for they began to argue about the dilemma and the ER nurses' station was not the place for this. But before she had a chance to interrupt the pair, Dr. Early and Rose joined them, successfully putting the heated discussion at an end.

As soon as the doc and Johnny's aunt had caught up with them, the group decided it was time to head upstairs to check on Johnny's condition. It was a somber group that got onto the elevator that would take them to the ICU. Each seemed lost in thought regarding the situation that placed Johnny in the hospital due to a gunshot wound and took something very precious to him.

The doors opened to look directly at the nurses' station of ICU. The silence was broken by the various beeps, hums and swooshes of equipment being used by the patients unfortunate enough to require their services.

Roy opted to escort Rose to Johnny's room while the rest detoured to the ICU waiting room. With a quick stop at the nurses' station to check in, the pair quietly entered the room. Roy heard the soft, quick intake of breath from Rose and knew that even though she has visited Johnny in the hospital before, it always took you by surprise.

Rose glanced down at her nephew lying all too quietly in the bed. She barely registered the chair that Roy had placed behind her. Leaning over, she gently brushed a lock of hair that had fallen across his brow and into his eye. She softly kissed his forehead before she sat down, taking his hand in hers.

She glanced up at the heart monitor with its steady beeping. From there, she turned her gaze to the respirator and the tube that peeked out from under the covers. Even with her husband's illness, she had never seen so much equipment in one room to keep someone alive. A tear slowly slid down her cheek.

"Rose, he's gonna be okay," Roy said quietly as he sat in a chair on the opposite side of the bed.

"I know he will be. It's just so unnatural to see him so still," replied Rose as she wiped the tear away. "I don't know about you, Roy, but I have never seen him so still…not even when he was a young boy."

"That's true for even today," he chuckled as he remembered Johnny bounding into the station that morning. "All he could talk about was the plans he had for the upcoming Labor Day weekend. He was excited about taking Bree and Sierra camping."

Rose softly gasped and looked across the bed at Roy. "Oh…how are we going to tell him about Bree?" she asked as the tears once again filled her eyes.

"We'll worry about that when the time comes. Right now, we're just going to concentrate on helping him get better."

"You know that she will be the first one he will ask for when he wakes up. How do we tell him that we failed in keeping her safe?"

"Rose, let's wait to the cross that bridge tomorrow. Dr. Brackett won't keep him on the vent for more than a day. He will begin lowering the sedative this evening so that by morning he will be easier to wake."

He reached across the bed to place his hand on top of Rose's and gave it a quick squeeze hoping to reassure the woman that everything will be okay. The pair sat in companionable silence, each saying a private prayer for Johnny's recovery.

_Johnny could hear the voices around him but knew it was futile to communicate. He could hear what sounded like a ventilator in the room and knew they stuck him on one for the night. He had been fighting against whatever Dr. Brackett had given him because he wanted to be awake for Bree…unfortunately it was stronger than he was._

_In his mind he felt paralyzed but knew it was just the effects from the anesthesia he had been given in surgery and the sedative prescribed to keep him calm. He tried to lift his eyelids to see just who was in his room but couldn't find the energy to do that. Before he gave into the darkness that was threatening to envelop him once again, he thought he heard whoever was in the room mention Bree by name and hoped that everything was alright._

_As he gave into the quiet darkness of sleep, in the back of his mind he could feel a presence that didn't make sense. It was almost a panicked feeling that washed over him from somewhere he didn't recognize…a voice crying in the night for him._

The ICU nurse assigned to Johnny's care quietly entered the room and explained that they would have to leave momentarily as she needed to check his vitals among other things.

The pair quickly complied with the nurse's request and exited the vicinity. Deciding to join the rest in the waiting room, they quickly walked the hallway through ICU to the visitor's lounge. Rose stopped in the doorway of the lounge and glanced at her nephew's friends…no, family…that had gathered there to await his recovery.

Roy wondered what made Rose stop so abruptly until he glanced at the group gathered in the waiting room. Everyone had that look about them that said this isn't happening, that it's just a bad dream. In the middle of the room were the two detectives who were assigned to Bree's stalker case and from the looks on their faces, the news was not that good.

He gently took Rose by the elbow and escorted her into the room. The senior detective then asked them to close the door. As Roy closed the door, chaos erupted.

_She could sense somet__hing wasn't quite right. In the deepest corner of her mind, she felt a presence…a weak one but a presence nonetheless. She thought she recognized what or who the presence was but something was preventing her from reaching it. Her body shook with the frustration she was feeling._

_She was oblivious to her surroundings but knew she was missing something although unsure of what that was. Once again she could feel the presence trying to contact her, failing to do so. Her heart was beating rapidly as panic strived to make itself known. Blindly she reached around her, touching only air._

_Something brushed against the fringes of her unconscious mind causing her to swing around in an attempt to find what it was. Just as she was about to give up and ignore whatever it was, she felt it brush her once more…only this time she recognized the touch. She cried out his name…Johnny!_

Bree jumped in her seat. She tried to raise her hands to her face, only to discover she had just one free hand. As she struggled to wake herself from the stupor she was in, she realized she was in a moving car and was not alone. She swung her head to the left and gasped softly as the realization of the situation returned to her.

She noticed the driver was sitting calmly to her left with his eyes straight forward, humming a tune softly under his breath as he maneuvered the car down the road. Bree tried to shift her legs and realized that her ankles were tied together. Her right hand was handcuffed to the door handle/armrest. Assessing her predicament, she tried to keep her frustration to a minimum as he had not noticed she was alert.

The next thought that entered her mind was Sierra…where was she? The thought of him harming her daughter sent a river of rage running through her veins. No longer thinking she didn't want him to notice she was awake, Bree turned her head towards her captor with venom in her eyes.

"Where's my daughter?" shouted Bree.

He jumped as the sound of her voice breaking the silence. Turning his head slightly, he smiled and replied, "Nice to see you are awake."

"Skip the pleasantries. Where is my daughter?" she shouted once again.

"You know, Bree, shouting at me is not going to get you anywhere. Try being a bit nicer and you might just learn something."

Bree snorted in derision at his statement and replied, "And why would I want to do that? You stole me from my home, abused a guest in my house and on top of that, you have been harassing people I care about!"

He quietly but firmly stated "Because if you don't try to be a little nicer, I can put an end to your life and that of your daughter's. What do you have to say now?"

Bree just stared at him, her eyes wide and mouth open. She didn't know how to reply to that statement.

He looked at her, once again with a smile on his face. "That's what I thought. Your daughter is safely asleep in the back seat of the car. All you have to do is turn your head and you can see her."

She turned her head enough to see the car seat in the back seat and a tousled head of dark hair sticking above the blanket. Swallowing hard, she turned to face forward again and softly muttered 'thank you'.

The driver smiled to himself and began humming his favorite song again. He knew this was just the beginning, that she would try to thwart him at every turn but in the end he would have his way and her spirit would be tamed.

Bree leaned back on the head rest, looking out the passenger window. The tears fell unheeded down her cheeks and she had no desire to wipe them away. She knew deep in her heart the presence that she felt before she woke up was Johnny and that somehow her captor had harmed him…how she did not know.

As they flew down the highway, Bree tried to think of how she could survive this. If he had only left her daughter at home and just taken her, she thought, at least then I could have fought him every step of the way.

She gazed out the window as trees, fences and other objects flew by in her field of vision. Dusk was falling and she still had no idea where they were at, or if they were even still in California. She could feel her eyes getting heavy once more and gave into the soothing comfort of sleep. As she slipped into the unconscious part of her mind, she once more felt the presence alongside her…this time it was comforting and she welcomed it.

Once Roy had shut the door, everyone started talking at the same time. He tried to imagine what had everyone in an uproar and wondered just what had he and Rose missed while they were in Johnny's room.

Scanning the room, he could see a variety of emotions racing across the faces of his coworkers/friends. Mandy was sitting curled up next to Marco and from the look of her eyes, she had been crying. Chet had his back to the group, seemingly studying the weather outside the waiting room window. The rest of the group from the sounds of their voices, were in a state of some type of shock.

Suddenly an ear-piercing whistle burst through the upraised voices causing everyone to clamp their hands over the ears as if in pain. Turning from the window to gaze at his friends, Chet pulled his fingers from his mouth.

"That's better," he stated. "It was getting a little out of hand, don't you think?"

"What the hell is going on?" asked Roy as he joined his wife and Captain Stanley with his wife, Emily.

Joanne linked arms with her husband and gently squeezed his as an sign to settle down, that now was not the time to lose his temper. He couldn't help feeling that was exactly what he wanted to do…get angry. He felt an overwhelming need to release some of the stress he was experiencing due to this whole absurd situation.

He glanced down at his wife and smiled, then turned his gaze back to the two detectives in the room and once more asked, "Just what the hell is going on?"

Detective Crockett returned Roy's gaze and replied, "While we were investigating the grounds at Mr. McNamara's ranch, we made a gruesome discovery. Mr. McNamara did not make it to Barstow as planned. A member of our team discovered his body buried underneath some straw in the back of the barn."

Roy could do nothing but stare at the detective. Dead, he thought, Johnny's neighbor was murdered by the same person that took Bree and her daughter. When he made eye contact with Mandy, he could see within her eyes the terror she was feeling and could only imagine what she was thinking.

"So what do you plan to do about this new discovery?" he inquired of the detective. "Obviously this means you are dealing with a more dangerous person than you first believed."

"That's why we decided to immediately come here with the news. We didn't want any of you to hear about this on the TV or read it in the papers," stated Crockett. "As of now, we will be posting a guard outside Mr. Gage's room and patrols will start back up again in your neighborhoods. We don't know if he will come back but we aren't taking any chances."

"He won't be coming back," stated Mandy in a flat tone of voice. "He has what he wanted along…Bree…he has no reason to keep harassing us. With the special training he had in the Army…"

When Mandy mentioned that, both detectives' heads shot up and the look on their face said it all. Davison whispered something in his partner's ear. Crockett shook his head and turned towards Mandy.

"What do you mean special training?" he questioned.

"He received special training with the military as a sniper," she replied. "He also has survivalist training. So if you want to know what really scares me is the fact that he could take my cousin anywhere in this country and it would be very hard to find them."

Nothing more was said and silence once more ruled the waiting room. Crockett pulled his partner over by the windows and the two were having a very intense conversation from the looks on their faces. Roy watched the two detectives intently, wondering if there was something they weren't telling them. He could tell just by the tension in the air that he wasn't the only one thinking that.

When the detectives first walked in and gave them the bad news, Mandy felt her heart sank. It was over two years ago when this whole mess started. All she could think about was Mr. McNamara and found it hard to not only believe he was dead but that his own son had committed the crime. She wondered just what had happened to Ethan in Vietnam to make him completely lose control of reality.

All Bree had ever wanted to do was sing, she thought. As far back as she could remember, Bree has always been writing what Mandy thought were poems but they turned out to be lyrics that she was waiting to put to music. She did that as soon as she learned the basics of the piano and guitar. Now, her life was endangered due to someone who developed an unhealthy attachment to her…someone who had been a friend and confidant to both girls.

On the other side of the room, Joanne, Emily and Linda entertained Rose with stories of how they all first got to know Johnny. Joanne couldn't help but release a small giggle as she caught a glimpse of Rose's face when she told her about Johnny's first foray into the DeSoto family life, and how she discovered that the young man was just an overgrown child who thrilled her own children with his antics.

Just talking about Johnny and his zest for life seemed to lift the spirits of those in the room who had come to know and love the young paramedic. Dixie couldn't help but spill the beans on some of the nurses that Johnny chased after and ultimately turned him down. Chet, of course, couldn't be left out and regale about the times that the _phantom_ caught his pigeon totally and thoroughly off guard.

Detective Crockett leaned against the wall and listened to the group talk about their friend. He knew they were trying to stall the inevitable…what could be done to try to locate Bree and Sierra and reunite them with Johnny. Davison looked at his partner and tipped his head towards the group. Crockett nodded in agreement and the pair went to join the others.

"Excuse me," said Crockett hesitantly as he really didn't want to interrupt them. "I think we need to talk especially to you, Miss Montgomery."

"Please, I would prefer that you call me Mandy," she replied. "What is it you wish to talk to me about?"

"Just what do you know about Ethan McNamara?" asked Crockett bluntly.

Mandy took a deep breath before she answered. She looked at those around her and felt safe. Lastly she glanced at her fiancé and drew strength from him to tell what she knew about the man who took her cousin.

"I don't know how much I really have to tell you about Ethan," replied Mandy. "I only met him a couple of times. It was Bree who spent more time at our grandparents' home and got to know him."

"Whatever you know just might be helpful," replied Davison.

"My first encounter with Ethan was in 1963 when I was 13," stated Mandy as she chuckled over the memory of that first meeting. "As you can imagine a 13-year-old teenage girl who was discovering boys and she meets a young man in Army fatigues…well let's just say I'm the reason my grandparents' hair was turning gray that summer."

She glanced over at Marco and smiled, "No offense, honey, but you were not my first crush."

"None taken, _chica_," he replied.

"Anyway, Ethan and I did talk a lot that summer. He was home for two weeks before they shipped him over to Vietnam. He did confide in me that he was scared about what might be awaiting him over there but he was also very proud to be serving his country," continued Mandy.

Before Mandy could say anything else, Detective Davison interrupted her. "Why was he confiding in a 13-year-old girl?"

Blushing, Mandy answered the question, "Because I was an incorrigible child and had flirted shamelessly with him. As my grandmother put it so succinctly, 'I was testing the feminine waters.' Ethan put a stop to it and flat-out told me that he looked at me like a younger sister…believe me I felt really foolish after that, but it also changed things as I felt I could talk to him and knew that he wouldn't break my confidence and he knew I wouldn't break his."

"How old was he at that time?" asked Crockett.

"He was 22 and had left college to join the Army. His father was quite proud of him." Mandy felt the tears well up in her eyes as she thought of Mr. McNamara.

Davison let her regain her composure and asked her if she knew why he did a second tour of duty.

"He felt he had unfinished business over there," she stated. "When he returned after his first tour, Bree had told me she had seen him. He seemed the same but yet something was different about him…not scary different, but just different."

Getting up from the couch, Mandy walked to the window, turning around to lean against it before she continued.

"Something happened to him over there…what we don't know. All Mr. McNamara could tell us was that he was sent to Walter Reed out East and about three days after he got there, he went AWOL…"

Mandy talked about how that summer of 1969 was something neither she nor Bree would ever forget. She said that's where they learned about Ethan's elopement from Walter Reed and that no one, not even his father, has heard from him. During their last week in California, they had been invited over to the McNamara ranch for a barbeque.

The barbeque had been underway for a couple of hours and everything was going just fine…until an unexpected guest arrived. From the expression on Mandy's face, everyone knew that the day had not ended well. She began pacing back and forth in front of the windows as the memories of that day came flooding back.

She spoke of the surprise in Mr. McNamara's face as he looked at his son. At first they hadn't been sure it was Ethan as his hair was long and he was sporting a scruffy beard. His tone of voice and overall demeanor should have been an indication that everything was not alright with Ethan, even though he told them he was fine.

His manner had been quite abrupt with his father, said Mandy, and he all but brushed him aside as he went into the house. He locked himself in the bathroom and when he returned three-quarters of an hour later, he had showered, changed clothes. His hair was in a ponytail and his beard had been trimmed. But he seemed very wary of those around him. His stance was guarded along with the expression in his eyes…until Bree came back from her ride out in the far pasture…

"It was almost as if a switch had been flipped inside him," stated Mandy. "He still was abrupt to the rest of us but with Bree…he came fully alive. In typical Bree fashion, she ran up to him and gave him a hug, telling him she was so glad to see he was alright…"

Mandy suddenly stopped in the middle of her tale as she finally realized that was the beginning of his obsession. The tears filled up her eyes and spilled down her cheeks as the whole time it had been in front of them and none of them knew it.

Marco quickly walked over to her and pulled her into his arms. The look he gave the detectives said it all…back off. For a short period, Mandy relaxed and cried in Marco's embrace but then leaned back, brushed the tears away and turned back to the group.

"Are you okay?" asked both detectives at the same time.

"Yes. As I was talking about the next meeting with Ethan at the barbeque, it dawned on me that that's when the obsession with Bree began, only we were too ignorant to realize it."

"How was anyone to know that this young man was suffering from some type of breakdown? I don't think anyone in that group could have understood what happened overseas or the effects it had on any of the soldiers who came home," stated Crockett.

"I know but towards the end of the party, Bree was doing everything in her power to avoid Ethan. Just before we left, she came running over to me with Ethan hot on her heels. What happened after that was truly memorable…"

"_Chica_, you don't have to tell this if you don't want to," said Marco as he put his arm back around her waist, pulling her tight against his side.

"No, they need to know what they are dealing with. I saw firsthand what he is capable of," stated Mandy. "He grabbed her arm in a desperate attempt to keep her from leaving. He was practically shouting at her that she couldn't leave. Could you imagine what a 16-year-old girl is thinking when someone tells her that she had to stay with him…that they belonged together?"

Joanne, Emily and Linda all had tears glistening in their eyes as they listened to Mandy speak of the argument that had ensued. She talked of how Bree was trying everything in her power to be gentle with the young man but in the end had to rudely tell him to his face that she was not interested in him nor would she ever be interested in him.

What happened afterwards stunned them…the look on Ethan's face was like a chameleon, one expression after another rapidly crossed it. Any sanity that had been in his eyes left and the demons haunting him took over. He stepped back from Bree, telling her that one day she would be his and she would love it. People had come running over when they heard Bree shouting but Ethan saw none of them. He violently pushed anyone in his way aside but before he headed down the road, the family dog had the unfortunate timing of walking right in front of him. Without a second thought, Ethan had picked up the dog, snapped its neck and threw it on the ground.

"…that was the last time we ever saw him," said Mandy with sadness in her voice. "He would occasionally show up at the ranch but only when Mr. McNamara wasn't around. The only reason we knew that was because items would be missing from the house like food, a shirt or two of Mr. McNamara's, stuff like that."

Joanne had found a box of tissues and brought them to Mandy who thanked her for them. A glass of water was also handed to her when she started coughing.

"I don't know if there is anything in there that is helpful," she stated after a drink of water.

"Well, it gives us a better insight to him but we will have to do contact someone within the Army to help us find out exactly what training he had and what might have caused his break with reality," replied Crockett. "Thanks for your help. We will leave so that you can visit Mr. Gage one more time before visiting hours are up."

The two detectives took their leave of the close group of friends. Silence ruled the ICU waiting room while the friends absorbed the story that Mandy had told them. Finally, Chet broke the quiet of the room by asking, "And just how do we break this news to Johnny…that his girlfriend and child are missing?"

_He felt her touch before he heard her voice. Wake up, Johnny, was what she was saying. Now why would he want to do that, he thought. He was lying beside her in the tent by the lake. She had woken him by her soft touch as she brushed his hair from his eyes._

"_Wake up, Johnny," she said once again as she brushed kiss across his forehead. "You need to wake up, sleepyhead. It's a beautiful day outside and we don't want to waste it." She touched his forehead again and then tried to tickle his toes. He gently kicked at the hand doing the tickling._

_The way he was feeling, he felt like he was coming down with something and he didn't want to disappoint her by being sick. He tried to tell her but it felt like his throat was blocked by something. Raising his hand was a feat in itself as it felt like it was made of lead._

_Suddenly she wasn't there anymore. He tried to scream but no sound came out. Irritation poured from every fiber of his being as he couldn't understand why he was helpless. Trying to give into the darkness that wanted to consume him, he thought he heard Bree say that she was alright and not to worry. Not to worry…that renewed his strength to fight the darkness and try to wake up. He knew something wasn't right._

Roy watched as Johnny's legs moved around under the covers. Occasionally he could see his eyelids flutter but knew his friend was fighting against waking up. This was nothing new to them at Rampart…Johnny never did make a good patient.

Soon he noticed Johnny was exhibiting more activity…along the lines of he was agitated. He watched Johnny's right hand clench and unclench, wondering what his friend was dreaming about that had him so upset. Without warning and what seemed to be the speed of light, Johnny's hand reached up and grabbed the ventilator tube.

Roy sprang into action, leaping out of the chair and just as quickly grabbing Johnny's hands to keep him from pulling the tube out of his throat. At the same time, Johnny opened his eyes and saw his friend standing over him. Eye contact was instantaneous and had an immediate calming effect on Johnny, although Roy wasn't taking any chances and kept a hold of Johnny's hands.

Dr. Brackett and a nurse came running into the room when they heard Roy shouting for help. Brackett breathed a sigh of relief when he realized Johnny surprised them once again and woke up a lot faster than they thought he would.

Kel took one of Johnny's hands from Roy to check his pulse. "So you decided to come to the living?" he asked in a joking way as he smiled down at the young man. "You had us all worried when they brought you in."

Johnny's gaze darted back and forth between the doctor and his partner. He wished he could say what he had on his mind but unfortunately knew it was impossible with the tube stuck down his throat. As if he knew exactly what Johnny was thinking, Kel motioned the nurse to hand him some gloves. Roy stepped back so the nurse could aid the doctor in the removal of the ventilator tube.

Shortly, Kel was ready to remove the endotracheal tube and told Johnny to take a deep breath and cough. With a few moments, he had rapidly pulled tube out and raised the head of the bed. He took the stethoscope and asked Johnny to take a few breaths so that he could listen to his lungs. Once completed, the respiratory therapist stepped to do some simple exercises with him.

After a few minutes of breathing exercises, Johnny was getting a bit irritated. He had questions he wanted answers to. His irritation finally was recognized by the therapist who said she would be in later that afternoon to go through the exercises again.

When he was finally able to say something, Johnny found that his voice was hoarse and his throat felt so dry. Rolling his eyes upwards, he finally pointed towards the pitcher on the bedside and tried to say, "Waa…tr."

"Here, junior, but remember to sip slowly," said Roy with a chuckle as he held the straw for Johnny to sip from.

Even though it hurt to swallow, Johnny just about drained the glass. Roy looked over at Kel who was shaking his head at the patient. The incorrigible child in Johnny was making an appearance and they both knew it was only a matter of time before he would begin asking when he could leave.

Kel decided to stop that tirade before it started. Pulling a chair up, he sat down to have a little talk with his patient. "Johnny, before you even think of asking the inevitable question of when you can leave, I need to remind you that you had major surgery involving a gunshot wound that collapsed your lung. You still have the chest tube in and more than likely it will be there for another day or two depending up on rapidly your lung heals…"

Johnny glanced over at Roy and rolled his eyes as Dr. Brackett continued on with his lecture. Kel had seen the look exchanged between the two and knew by the frown on Roy's face that he had conveyed to Johnny to behave and listen.

"…so until I know that lung is fully healed and you are breathing without difficulty AND have no complications, you will stay put," he concluded.

"But…" Johnny started to say before he began to cough. Roy quickly handed him his glass refilled.

"Sorry," apologized Johnny. "Throat's dry." He could hear how raspy and hoarse his voice sounded and hoped that it would go away soon.

"Don't apologize, junior," chuckled Roy. "I have a feeling this won't stop you from talking."

Smiling as he knew his partner was right Johnny decided to go straight to the heart of what was been bothering him. "Where's Bree?"

He immediately caught the glance exchanged between the doctor and Roy and knew that something happened while he was out of it. His mind recalled the dream he was having that morning and thinking he could feel Bree's presence with him, saying that she was alright and not to worry. Now he was worried.

"Once more I will ask…where's Bree?" he asked with a little more force behind his words.

Kel decided to wait outside and let Roy handle this. Roy tipped his head in agreement and pulled his chair up along side the bed to talk with his friend.

He watched as Roy struggled to find the words to answer his question. Deep down he knew that somehow his getting shot and Bree not being there at the hospital were connected. As he made that connection, Johnny felt like his heart was breaking. The ache was almost too much to bear.

"He's got her, doesn't he?" inquired Johnny as he tried to help his friend along.

Roy looked up and his expression told Johnny all he needed to know. "We're thinking that all along his plan was to harass us to the point where someone did get hurt and while we were all focused on that, he would swoop in and take Bree…"

"But what about my daughter…where is she?" interrupted Johnny.

"You and I both know that Bree would never let anything happen to Sierra. We think he has her too…as a way to control Bree…so she will do as he wants."

"Dear God!" cried Johnny. Roy could only sit there and watch as the realization sunk in that his family had been taken from him.

He leaned back against the pillows behind him as the tears streamed down his cheeks. Who was this person, he thought, who feels they have the right to destroy just so they can achieve what they think rightfully belongs to them. He silently cursed them in his mind and railed in frustration that he was incapacitated to the point he could not help in trying to find his love.

"Roy, I need to get out of here," stated Johnny in a matter-of-fact tone as he threw the covers off of himself.

"Junior, you know damn well you are in no shape to go anywhere. Brackett told you that a few minutes ago," replied Roy as he stood up in anticipation of what Johnny might do. "That chest tube is still in and you sure as hell cannot go anywhere with that, pulling it out will only cause more damage!"

"You think I don't know that!" shouted Johnny. "Some madman has Bree and Sierra and I will be damned if I'm gonna stay in this hospital while they are in danger!"

He was finding it hard to catch his breath but that wasn't going to stop him. He tried to swing his legs over the side of the bed but felt an instant pulling on his right side. He rolled his eyes upwards as he realized that the chest tube was on his right. Before he could reach around to grab at it, he felt a hand clasp his wrist.

Roy kept a firm grip on Johnny's wrist while he kept his eyes focused on his friend. He knew that Johnny was in no shape to attempt getting out of Rampart, and even if he did manage to get out of bed…he would probably go straight to the floor. He silently prayed that Dr. Brackett had still been standing outside of the hospital room and had heard Johnny's argument with him.

As if upon cue, Dr. Brackett walked into Johnny's room followed by a nurse carrying a small silver tray. Roy breathed a silent sigh of relief but never took his eyes or grip off of Johnny. The damning look that Johnny gave him before turning his eyes on Brackett didn't faze him one bit. He had been on the receiving end of that look too many times to count.

Kel could see the pleading look Johnny was giving him but knew it was in the young man's best interest that he be sedated, however so lightly, once more. Taking the syringe the nurse had filled with the correct dose, he injected it into the IV hanging on the left side of Johnny's bed.

"Why did you have to do that, doc?" questioned Johnny with a sad tone to his voice. "I just want to help in finding Bree. Can't you understand that?"

"I do understand that, Johnny, but what I understand even more is that you will do her no good if you take off out of here before you are completely healed," was Kel's reply. "Besides that, there is a police officer stationed outside your door, Johnny. You would not have gotten far."

He could feel his eyes getting heavy but he thought he heard the doc say that there was a police officer outside of his hospital room. He frowned as he thought about that and wondered what everyone was so afraid of. Pally, he thought, when this sedative wears off you got a lot of explaining to do.

_She smiled as the warm, calm feeling cascaded throughout her body. She felt safe even though his arms weren't around her. His presence lent strength to her that let her know she could make it through whatever the future had to throw at her._

_Opening her eyes, she gasped as she saw the beautiful path in front of her strewn with pinkish purplish flowers. Tentatively she took a step and giggled as she felt the path beckoning her to walk upon it. She couldn't help herself…she just had to dance._

_She twirled and dipped. The petals seemed to be swirling around her as she danced with her arms flung out. She noticed that she had a soft flowing dress and when she twirled the skirt flared out around her legs. She loved the feeling of it._

_She stopped to take in the beauty of the woodland path once more. As she stood silently, she thought she heard a voice…a male voice beckoning her to follow. She smiled to herself as she thought she felt Johnny's presence near her and laughed as she felt he was playing hide and seek._

"_Come out, come out, wherever you are, my love," she sang. "You will find great rewards for revealing yourself."_

_Nobody appeared but once again the voice beckoned her to follow it. She giggled as she stepped off the path and felt the softness of the petals beneath her feet. She followed the voice as weaved in and out, leading her further away from the woodland path._

_Suddenly she noticed it was slowly turning gray around her. She had left her woodland path behind and was now upon a hardened trail. Tears welled up in her eyes as she felt her strength abandoning her. She could no longer hear the voice and the presence she felt was no longer comforting._

_As she darting in and out of the trees, she could not locate the path she had been on. It scared her as she no longer knew where she was. The voice she now heard was harsh and rough…and it was getting closer. A hand clamped down on her shoulder and she screamed…_

She was gasping for air as she popped up from her prone position. Her shock was almost palpable around as she opened her eyes and stared in disbelief at what she was seeing.

As she gazed at her surroundings, she could see the smooth boards of the hardwood floor, partly covered by area rugs. Looking above her head, she could see the rough-hewn beams that supported the ceiling of the cabin. The living and kitchen were a combined space but she was unsure if it hosted a bathroom and noting the small bed she woke up on…not sure if there was a bedroom.

Anger replaced shock when she realized was she chained by the ankle to a bolt anchored to next to the wall. A small growl grew in the back of her thought until it burst forth in a loud shout of fury.

"You don't need to shout. I was only around the corner."

"What the hell have you done to me and where the hell is my daughter?" screamed Bree as she fought to keep herself from launching at him to 'do damage'.

"Your daughter is safe, sound and sleeping," he replied. "As for where you are, let's just say you are in a warm place that will keep you safe."

"Damn your cryptic remarks!" cried Bree. "Why are you doing this to me?"

Ethan kept his distance from the petite blonde as from her stance and the fury in her eyes he knew she wanted to do bodily harm to him. He shook his head and made a 'tsking' noise as he knew she wouldn't understand why he had to do this…not only for him but for her safety. Now was not the time to try to explain this to her.

"You wouldn't understand, my love," he replied as he stood back up. He still had things he needed to do before they would be completely safe where they were at.

"I don't give a damn if I will understand the reason you did this or not! I want to know why. And I want to know what you have done with my daughter," stated Bree angrily. "So help me if you have harmed her that will be the last thing you will ever do."

He turned around and said, "She is fine. I'm not going to bring her out to you as it would only wake her up and it was hard enough to get her to fall asleep." With having said that to her, he turned and walked back out the door.

Bree stood and watched him leave with her mouth wide open. He totally dismissed her as insignificant and walked out. Sitting down on the edge of the bed, she once more gazed at her surroundings and wondered what to do. She had no clue where her child was and that scared her. Knowing what Ethan was capable of, she was afraid of what he could to do a defenseless child. She couldn't understand why he felt he had to chain her…she wasn't going to leave, at least not without her daughter.

She could tell by the light sneaking through the covered window it was daylight but what time of day she couldn't be sure of. She wasn't even sure what day it was. Somewhere since the time he grabbed her and Sierra from the ranch and waking up chained to the floor of this cabin, she had lost time…how much was uncertain.

Her mind raced back through the past years and she wondered what she could have done that might have circumvented Ethan from following this path of destruction. In her heart she knew there was nothing she could have done…that a violent war had drastically changed his psyche, but that didn't stop her mind from looking back and questioning her actions.

A creaking door hinge alerted her to the fact that Ethan was returning to the cabin. She hurriedly wiped any traces of the tears she had cried and hoped he would at least free her other hand so she could sit up.

Ethan walked into the main living area of the cabin they were in, carrying a load of firewood. He placed it next to the wood stove that sat in the opposite corner from the bed Bree was sitting on. Brushing his hands on his jeans, he turned back to Bree and could see the plea in her eyes.

"I can tell by the look in your eyes you want the chain removed," he said as he knelt by the bed. "How do I know I can trust you?"

"Where would I go?" questioned Bree. "You have my daughter somewhere that I don't know about. I have no clue where we are. I don't even know if we are still in California. Please remove the chain. I promise I won't go anywhere."

He smiled at her, stating, "I can't do that, Bree. I know you…you are headstrong and stubborn. You would not be afraid to try to navigate the area we are in even with your daughter in tow, knowing that you would eventually find help."

"You are such an ass!" she shouted. "What the hell did I do to make you want to do this to me?"

Calmly, Ethan stood up. Glancing down at Bree, he could see the frustration in her eyes. He smiled at her but she noticed that his smile didn't reach his eyes…those remained cold, emotionless. It sent shivers up her spine.

"I have to leave for a while. The chain is long enough for you to navigate the living and kitchen area, down the hall to the bathroom and to the bedroom."

Surprise was etched upon her face. "You're leaving?" she questioned.

"You'll be alright. There is enough food to last for a while and there is plenty of firewood to keep the cabin warm should it get cold out," he said as he grabbed his coat off the peg by the door.

Bree flew off the bed and charged towards Ethan, intent on causing harm but discovered that the chain did not reach all the way to the door. She screamed with rage as he stood just out of her reach. Once again he smiled down at her, a calm demeanor that was betrayed by his dark eyes…eyes that smiled at her full of pure evil.

As she backed away from him, he had one more thing to say, "It might be awhile before I get back as I have unfinished business to attend to before I can return to stay. So I suggest you think about the situation you are in and how you are going to adapt to it."

Before she had a chance to reply, the door was shut and she heard it lock from the outside. Bree stood staring at the door, still trying to comprehend just what had happened. Breaking free from her shock, she turned and briskly walked to the bolt that anchored her chain to the floor in the kitchen.

Testing the weight of the chain in her hand, Bree grabbed a good length of it and tugged with all her strength. It didn't take long to realize that there was no way she was going to be able to pull that loose. Giving up for the moment, she surveyed the room.

Since she knew the chain would not allow her to reach the front door, she hoped that she had enough length to reach the back of the cabin…and luckily it did. She opened the only door in the back and discovered the bathroom. A bit rustic but at least the place had running water. She made quick use of the facility and headed back into the kitchen.

'Damn it, Bree. Get your head straight,' she admonished herself. The last door held the bedroom and she knew that her daughter was inside. Anxiously she reached for the doorknob and turned it. The room was dark inside due to the window being covered.

Bree felt around for the light switch when she realized there was no electricity in the cabin. It may have running water but there was no electricity. Muttering under her breath, she felt her way to the window and threw open the curtains and shades. The room brightened quickly.

Seeing her daughter's favorite blanket on the bed covering a slight little lump, she released the breath that she had been anxiously holding, afraid of not finding her daughter in that room. Bree gently sat down on the edge near the sleeping child and smiled as she pulled the blanket back for a view of her daughter.

For a moment she sat on the bed not comprehending what she was seeing. The lump under the bed was not her daughter…but a doll, a doll with dark hair that passed for her child. She stood up, feeling the panic build within her chest. Her mouth opened in a silent scream before darkness swallowed her in a faint.


End file.
